Biology · Science General

Disease Causative Agents

2,531 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 biology living world and classification of microbes pathogen and their mode of transmission economic importance of bacteria and fungi diseases and immunity five kingdoms of living organisms

Encephalitis is a viral disease of humans which is transmitted by

  1. Anopheles

  2. Culex

  3. Aedes

  4. Culex and Aedes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Encephalitis is acute inflammation (swelling up) of the brain resulting either from a viral infection or when the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks brain tissue. The most common cause is a viral infection. Encephalitis occurs in 1 in every 1,000 cases of measles. Encephalitis generally begins with fever and headache. The symptoms rapidly worsen and there may be seizures (fits), confusion, drowsiness and loss of consciousness and even coma. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Culex species mosquitoes, particularly Culex tritaeniorhynchus.

Multiple choice biology living world and classification of microbes pathogen and their mode of transmission economic importance of bacteria and fungi diseases and immunity five kingdoms of living organisms

Which one of the following is a common disease caused by a virus?

  1. Yellow fever

  2. Typhoid

  3. Syphilis

  4. Tetanus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tetanus and typhoid are bacterial diseases caused by bacteria. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. Yellow fever is caused by a flavivirus and transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes, usually the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which had become infected by biting an infected human. Hence, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice biology living world and classification of microbes pathogen and their mode of transmission economic importance of bacteria and fungi diseases and immunity five kingdoms of living organisms

Common cold differs from pneumonia in, that 

  1. Pneumonia is a communicable disease, whereas, the common cold is a nutritional deficiency disease.

  2. Pneumonia can be prevented by a live attenuated bacterial vaccine, whereas, the common cold has no effective vaccine.

  3. Pneumonia is caused by a virus while the common cold is caused by the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae.

  4. Pneumonia pathogen infects alveoli, whereas, the common cold affects nose and respiratory passage but not the lungs.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • The common cold is a viral disease, which is caused by a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat), whereas, pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. 

  • It is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria and less commonly other microorganisms. Typical symptoms include a cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing.

    Hence, Option D is correct.
Multiple choice morphology of angiosperms introduction to angiosperms morphology of flowering plants plant kingdom biology

Approximately one hundred diseases and pests are reported on

  1. Wheat

  2. Gram

  3. Ground nut

  4. Rice
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Wheat is a common crop that is facing many pests and diseases problem. Such as Barley Yellow Dwarf, Black Chaff, Crown and Root Rot, Fusarium Head Blight (Scab), Leaf Rust., Tan Spot, Wheat Soil-borne Mosaic, and Wheat Streak Mosaic. But gram, groundnut, and rice are also having pests and diseases but not in large numbers in comparison to wheat.

Thus the correct option is A. 

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Name the bacteria that cause anthrax disease in animals.

  1. Proteus morganii

  2. Borrelia bacteria

  3. Bacillus anthracis

  4. Trichinella spiralis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Anthrax is an infection that is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. These bacteria form spores that are hard-shelled, dormant versions of the bacteria. Spores are the form of the bacteria that cause infection. They can survive in the soil for many decades. Anthrax most commonly occurs in animals such as pigs, cattle, horses, and goats, but it can also infect people.
So the correct option is  'Bacillus anthrcis'
Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Anthrax is transmitted through ____________________.

  1. It usually spreads through ingestion of contaminated feed and water.

  2. Occurs by inhalation and biling flies

  3. Both A and B

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. It can be transmitted via inhalation of spores, ingestion of contaminated materials, or through skin contact (often involving biting flies).

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Which of the following are the diseases caused by bacteria?

  1. Cancer

  2. Anthrax

  3. Hepatitis

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis, which can change into spores that can last for a long time in the environment before germinating. Various other diseases caused by bacteria are relapsing fever, bovine tuberculosis etc. 

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

'Black death' is related with

  1. Plague

  2. Cancer

  3. Tuberculosis

  4. Measles
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The plague disease is caused by Yersinia pestis (commonly present) in populations of fleas carried by ground rodents, including marmots, in various areas including Central Asia, Kurdistan, Western Asia, Northern India and Uganda. The 'Black Death' was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 134653. Although there were several competing theories as to the etiology of the Black Death, analysis of DNA from victims in northern and southern Europe published in 2010 and 2011 indicates that the pathogen responsible was the Yersinia pestis bacterium, probably causing several forms of plague.

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Which one of the following causes plague?

  1. Salmonella typhimurim

  2. Trichinella spiralis

  3. Yersinia pestis

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

Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria, Yersinia pestis. Contrary to popular belief, rats did not directly start the spread of the bubonic plague. It is mainly a disease in the fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis), that infested the rats, making the rats themselves the first victims of the plague. Infection in a human occurs, when a person is bitten by a flea that has been infected by biting a rodent that itself has been infected by the bite of a flea carrying the disease. The bacteria multiply inside the flea, sticking together to form a plug that blocks its stomach and causes it to starve. The flea then bites a host and continues to feed, even though it cannot quell its hunger, and consequently the flea vomits blood tainted with the bacteria back into the bite wound.

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Which of the following is a bacterial disease?

  1. Anthrax

  2. Rinderpest

  3. Tick fever

  4. Coccidiosis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Anthrax is a zoonotic (the disease that is normally present in animals and can be transmitted to humans through animals) disease caused by the gram-positive aerobic bacterium called Bacillus anthracis.

  • Symptoms depend on the route of infection. They can range from a skin ulcer with a dark scab to difficulty breathing.

  • Hence anthrax is a bacterial disease. So, the correct answer is 'Anthrax'.

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Anthrax is due to a

  1. Virus

  2. Bacterium

  3. Fungus

  4. Protozoan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It usually affects  ruminants like goats, cattle, sheep, horses. However, it is also seen in humans. Symptoms include sore throat, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, shortness of breath.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Bacterium.'

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

The nurse is teaching a disaster preparedness class to healthcare workers. Which of the following infectious diseases is suspected as a probable biological weapon?

  1. Chicken pox

  2. Botulism

  3. Flu

  4. Cholera
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Botulism, caused by the toxin of Clostridium botulinum, is classified as a Category A bioterrorism agent by the CDC due to its high mortality rate and potential for mass impact.

Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Contaminated feed is the major source of infection in case of ______________.

  1. Rinderpest

  2. Ascaris

  3. Anthrax

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Rinderpest virus is found in expired air and is transmitted primarily by inhalation of expired air contaminated by infected droplets. Ascaris infection occurs by eating food or drink contaminated with Ascaris eggs from feces. When anthrax spores are ingested, inhaled or enter the body through skin abrasions or cuts and food, it causes the disease.
So, the answer is All of the above.
Multiple choice animal diseases economic importance of bacteria and fungi bacteria keeping diseases away biology

Potential pathogens for bioweapons are _________________.

  1. Bacillus anthracis

  2. Yersinia pestis

  3. Vibro cholerae

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Biowar is the use of highly infectious pathogens, their spores and toxins as agents of biological weapons against humans, crops and animals of enemy country. The agent is kept in a social container that keeps it in active/virulent state during delivery by missile or aircraft. Spray and power are two common forms in which the bioweapon agent is delivered. Potential pathogens for bioweapons agent is delivered. Potential pathogens for bioweapons are Bacillus anthracis, Vibro cholera, small pox virus Pasteurella Yersinia pestis, Botulinum toxin, etc.