Q60. A microorganism that actually produces disease is termed a what?
[UPPSC PCS Prelims 2024]
- (A) Archaeon
- (B) Pathogen
- (C) Bacterium, in every case
- (D) Protozoan, in every case
Answer: (B) Pathogen
Explanation: A pathogen is any disease-causing biological agent. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and certain parasites can be pathogenic, but most microorganisms are not harmful. Therefore, pathogen describes disease-causing ability rather than a single taxonomic group of microbes.
Q59. Which sequence matches Alzheimer’s disease, diphtheria, gonorrhoea and mumps with their principal affected sites?
[SSC CGL Tier-I, 20 July 2023]
- (A) Brain, salivary glands, reproductive tract, throat
- (B) Throat, brain, reproductive tract, salivary glands
- (C) Brain, throat, salivary glands, reproductive tract
- (D) Brain, throat, reproductive tract, salivary glands
Answer: (D) Brain, throat, reproductive tract, salivary glands
Explanation: Alzheimer’s primarily affects the brain; diphtheria often affects the throat and nose; gonorrhoea commonly involves the reproductive tract; and mumps frequently affects salivary glands. Diphtheria and gonorrhoea are bacterial, whereas mumps is viral and Alzheimer’s is non-infectious.
Q58. Which among rabies, leprosy, malaria and Ebola is bacterial?
[SSC CHSL Tier-I (2022 cycle), 10 March 2023]
- (A) Rabies
- (B) Leprosy
- (C) Malaria
- (D) Ebola
Answer: (B) Leprosy
Explanation: Leprosy is a chronic infection mainly caused by Mycobacterium leprae; it can damage skin and peripheral nerves. Rabies and Ebola are viral infections, while malaria is protozoan. Early leprosy detection and multidrug therapy prevent many disabilities.
Q57. Which disease is viral rather than bacterial or protozoan?
[SSC CHSL Tier-I (2022 cycle), 21 March 2023]
- (A) Chickenpox
- (B) Tuberculosis
- (C) Whooping cough
- (D) Malaria
Answer: (A) Chickenpox
Explanation: Chickenpox results from the varicella-zoster virus. Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whooping cough by Bordetella pertussis, and malaria by Plasmodium parasites. The infectious agent determines whether antibiotics, antivirals or antiparasitic treatment may be appropriate.
Q56. Which is NOT a bacterial disease?
[SSC MTS (2022 cycle), 12 May 2023]
- (A) Cholera
- (B) Typhoid
- (C) Rabies
- (D) Plague
Answer: (C) Rabies
Explanation: Rabies is caused by a lyssavirus and is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected mammal. Cholera, typhoid and plague are bacterial diseases. Appropriate rabies post-exposure prophylaxis must be initiated promptly after a potentially infectious exposure.
Q55. Which is a plausible length for many typical bacterial cells?
[SSC CPO, 5 October 2023]
- (A) 3–5 micrometres
- (B) 1–40 millimetres
- (C) 30–50 millimetres
- (D) 0–3 nanometres
Answer: (A) 3–5 micrometres
Explanation: Many rod-shaped bacteria are only a few micrometres long, making 3–5 µm a realistic general value. Bacterial sizes vary widely among species. Micrometres, rather than millimetres, are the relevant unit for most ordinary bacterial cells.
Q54. Which traditional serological test is linked to suspected typhoid fever?
[SSC Stenographer, 13 October 2023]
- (A) Peripheral smear for malaria
- (B) C-reactive protein alone
- (C) Widal test
- (D) Vivax test
Answer: (C) Widal test
Explanation: The Widal assay tests for agglutinating antibodies against Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi. Because false positives and negatives occur, it should not be treated as definitive confirmation; blood cultures are generally more useful in early enteric fever.
Q53. Which disease is bacterial: AIDS, COVID-19, polio or typhoid?
[MP Forest Guard/Jail Prahari, 7 June 2023]
- (A) AIDS
- (B) COVID-19
- (C) Polio
- (D) Typhoid
Answer: (D) Typhoid
Explanation: Salmonella Typhi is responsible for typhoid fever, which can cause sustained fever and systemic illness. AIDS, COVID-19 and polio are viral diseases. Clean food, safe water and typhoid vaccination help reduce infections in at-risk settings.
Q52. Identify the pair of waterborne diseases: typhoid, cholera, chickenpox and conjunctivitis.
[TSPSC Assistant Engineer, 5 March 2023]
- (A) Chickenpox and conjunctivitis
- (B) Typhoid and cholera
- (C) Typhoid and chickenpox
- (D) Cholera and conjunctivitis
Answer: (B) Typhoid and cholera
Explanation: Typhoid and cholera are classic bacterial infections acquired through contaminated food or water. Chickenpox is transmitted chiefly through respiratory exposure and lesion contact. Conjunctivitis has several possible causes and is not generally classified with classic waterborne enteric diseases.
Q51. Typhoid fever is caused by which broad type of organism?
[Delhi Police Constable, 23 November 2023]
- (A) Protozoan
- (B) Bacterium
- (C) Fungus
- (D) Virus
Answer: (B) Bacterium
Explanation: Typhoid fever is a systemic bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi. Its bacteria enter through contaminated food or drinking water and can spread through the bloodstream. Prompt diagnosis and susceptibility-guided antibiotics help prevent potentially severe complications.
