All are spread by feco-oral route except?

RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2021

Microbiology

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2021

Explanation

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is the correct answer as it is the exception to the fecal-oral transmission route.
HBV is a blood-borne pathogen, meaning it spreads through exposure to infected blood or body fluids.
Primary transmission routes for HBV include percutaneous (e.g., needlestick injuries, sharing needles), sexual contact, and perinatal (from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth).

Option A: Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) is incorrect because it is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, often through consumption of contaminated food or water.
Option C: Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is incorrect as it is also transmitted through the fecal-oral route, most commonly through contaminated drinking water in areas with poor sanitation.
Option D: Typhoid fever, caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, is a classic example of a disease spread via the fecal-oral route through contaminated food and water.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Modes of transmission for infectious diseases, specifically viral hepatitis and typhoid fever as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding transmission routes is fundamental for nursing practice as it dictates the type of infection control precautions required. For fecal-oral diseases (HAV, HEV, Typhoid), emphasis is on hand hygiene, food safety, and contact precautions. For blood-borne diseases like HBV, standard precautions, safe injection practices, and post-exposure management are critical.
Vaccination is a key preventive measure. Vaccines are available for both HAV and HBV, and healthcare workers are strongly recommended to be vaccinated against HBV.
What if? If a healthcare worker sustains a needlestick injury from an HBV-positive patient, it is a medical emergency. This necessitates immediate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG) and the HBV vaccine series to prevent infection, highlighting the high infectivity of the virus via the parenteral route.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'except' in the question. This indicates you need to find the option that does not fit the given condition.
The condition is 'spread by feco-oral route'.
Evaluate each option against this condition.
Recall or deduce the primary mode of transmission for HAV, HBV, HEV, and Typhoid.
HAV, HEV, and Typhoid are all known to be transmitted via the fecal-oral route.
HBV is transmitted through blood and body fluids. It is the outlier.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Modes of transmission for infectious diseases, specifically viral hepatitis and typhoid fever.
Stem keywords: spread, feco-oral route
Lead-in keywords: except
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks for the exception among the given options.

QYPVBEeiOEP201-BFt7SqI

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 34-36

E6 Microbiology Essentials Sastry 4e Part 2 p. 42-44