Choose the false statement?

SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-B)

Applied Microbiology & Infection control (E5)

Medium

Appeared in: SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-B)

Explanation

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that primarily affects the lungs.
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is the blockage of a pulmonary artery by a thrombus (blood clot) that has traveled from elsewhere in the body, typically the legs.
There is no direct causal link between the TB infection and the formation of an embolus. They are separate disease processes.
While severe chronic illness like TB can be a risk factor for developing blood clots due to immobility and inflammation, the infection itself does not cause the embolism.

Option A: This is a true statement. While many cases of viral meningitis are caused by enteroviruses (fecal-oral route), other causative viruses like influenza, mumps, and measles are transmitted via respiratory droplets.
Option B: This is a true statement. Measles is a classic example of a disease transmitted via the airborne route, through tiny droplet nuclei that can remain suspended in the air.
Option D: This is a true statement. Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, commonly by consuming food or water contaminated with the virus.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Modes of transmission for common infectious diseases as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the correct mode of transmission for different diseases is a fundamental nursing responsibility for implementing appropriate infection control precautions (Standard, Contact, Droplet, and Airborne).
Applying the wrong precautions can lead to the spread of infection to other patients and healthcare workers. For example, treating an airborne disease with only droplet precautions is inadequate and unsafe.
A nurse's ability to differentiate between disease processes, like an infection (TB) and a vascular event (PE), is crucial for accurate assessment, planning, and patient education.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core task: you need to find the one FALSE statement among the four options. This means three of the statements are true.
Systematically evaluate each option against your knowledge of infectious diseases and their transmission.
Option A (Viral Meningitis/Droplet): Recall that 'viral meningitis' is a broad category. While enteroviruses are fecal-oral, other viruses (like influenza) cause meningitis and are droplet-spread. So, the statement is plausible and likely true.
Option B (Measles/Airborne): This is a classic, textbook example of an airborne disease. This statement is true.
Option C (TB/PE): Analyze the pathophysiology. TB is an infection. PE is a blood clot. Does the infection cause the clot to form and travel? Not directly. This connection is weak and indirect, making the statement likely false.
Option D (Hepatitis A/Food & Water): This is the classic fecal-oral transmission route for Hepatitis A. This statement is true.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Modes of transmission for common infectious diseases
Stem keywords: Viral Meningitis, Measles, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary embolism, Hepatitis A, transmission
Lead-in keywords: false statement
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the FALSE statement.