Assertion (A): Infants born with Intra Uterine Rubella Infection may have cardiac malformation and deafness.Reasons (R): Rubella Infection increases the cell division that causes congenital malformation.Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

1. A

   (A) is correct but (R) is not correct

2. B

   Both (A) and (R) are correct, (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

3. C

   Both (A) and (R) are correct, (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A)

4. D

   (A) is not correct but (R) is correct

Appeared in: BHU NO - 12 April 2024

Explanation

• Assertion (A) is correct. Intrauterine rubella infection is a known cause of Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), which classically presents with cardiac malformations (e.g., patent ductus arteriosus) and sensorineural deafness.
• Reason (R) is incorrect. The rubella virus is a teratogen that causes damage by inhibiting or arresting cell division and multiplication during fetal development.
• The virus does not increase cell division; instead, it leads to mitotic arrest, reduced cellular multiplication, and tissue necrosis, which disrupts normal organogenesis.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This option is incorrect because while Assertion (A) is correct, Reason (R) is factually wrong. The rubella virus inhibits, not increases, cell division.
• Option C: This option incorrectly states that both (A) and (R) are correct. Reason (R) is factually incorrect.
• Option D: This option is incorrect because Assertion (A) is a well-established medical fact, and Reason (R) is false.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing Assertion-Reason based on Congen-ital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Pathophysiology helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• The primary nursing and public health intervention for preventing Congenital Rubella Syndrome is ensuring widespread immunization with the MMR vaccine, particularly for non-pregnant women of childbearing age.
• Nurses play a crucial role in screening pregnant women for rubella immunity and educating them about the risks of exposure during pregnancy.
• Nursing care for an infant with CRS is complex and requires a multidisciplinary team approach, including audiology, cardiology, ophthalmology, and developmental specialists.

How to Approach the Question

• Step 1: Carefully read and evaluate the Assertion (A) for its factual correctness. Recall or verify that congenital rubella is strongly associated with deafness and heart defects.
• Step 2: Carefully read and evaluate the Reason (R) for its factual correctness. Analyze the proposed biological mechanism: does the rubella virus increase cell division?
• Step 3: Apply your knowledge of teratogenesis. Most teratogens disrupt or inhibit normal development. The claim of increasing cell division is biologically suspect and a common way examiners create incorrect reasons.
• Step 4: Conclude that Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false.
• Step 5: Select the option that accurately reflects this conclusion, which is '(A) is correct but (R) is not correct'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Assertion-Reason based on Congen-ital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Pathophysiology
• Stem keywords: Intra Uterine Rubella Infection, cardiac malformation, deafness, cell division
• Lead-in keywords: Assertion (A), Reason (R)

Question ID

QbxWmHJmfPzQ6tIuP7T3A_

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 155-157

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1970-1972