Biology · Science General

Disease Causative Agents

2,258 Questions

Disease causative agents questions test your understanding of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, along with their transmission methods. These are common topics in general science sections of SSC and railways exams. Practice these questions to accurately identify disease pathogens and symptoms.

Viral diseasesFoodborne illnessesDisease transmission methodsExtrinsic disease factorsCommon pathogens

Disease Causative Agents Questions

Multiple choice

How does the rabies virus spread?

  1. By air

  2. By animal bite

  3. By contaminated water

  4. By physical contact
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Rabies virus is carried by vectors, which contain the virus and transmit it from a diseased person to a healthy person. The vectors for rabies are animals (dogs and cats usually).

Multiple choice

SARS is a respiratory disease caused by a

  1. bacterium

  2. fungus

  3. virus

  4. protozoan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

SARS is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Symptoms usually occur about 2 to 10 days after coming in contact with the virus.

Multiple choice

Which of the following diseases is also known as Japanese encephalitis?

  1. Diabetes

  2. Diarrhoea

  3. Brain fever

  4. Malaria
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

  Japanese encephalitis is brain fever. In this disease, there is an inflammation in the brain tissue and hence, it is called “encephalitis” [“cephalic” refers to brain and “encephalitis” means swelling of brain tissues].

Multiple choice

How do children in India get exposed to hepatitis–A virus?

  1. From water

  2. From air

  3. From physical contact

  4. From the infected mother
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

When water sources, including private wells, are contaminated with faeces from infected humans, the water will spread the hepatitis A virus to others who drink this water. The virus can enter water supplies through sewage overflows or from broken sewage systems. This virus cannot travel through air and also does not spread by physical contact. An infected mother also cannot pass it on.

Multiple choice

Mad cow disease is due to

  1. virions

  2. prions

  3. bacteria

  4. fungus

  5. none of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Mad cow disease is caused by a misfolded protein called prions.

Multiple choice

Which of the following hepatitis is transmitted in the same way as hepatitis A and E?

  1. Hepatitis G

  2. Hepatitis B

  3. Hepatitis C

  4. Hepatitis D

  5. Hepatitis F
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Hepatitis is a swelling and inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis F appears to be transmitted by the oral fecal route in a similar manner to that of hepatitis A and E, although the epidemiology of the virus has not yet been fully established. Hepatitis F virus (HFV) first appeared as togavirus like 60 to 70 nm enveloped particles that were recovered from the hepatocytes of a number of patients transplanted for fulminant hepatic failure.