Dengue fever is transmitted by?

NIMHANS Nursing Officer - 2019

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NIMHANS Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female mosquitoes.
The primary vector for dengue is the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
This mosquito is easily identifiable by the white stripes on its black body and legs, often called the 'tiger mosquito'.
It is a daytime feeder and breeds in artificial collections of clean water in and around human habitats.
Besides dengue, Aedes aegypti also transmits other viral diseases such as Chikungunya, Zika fever, and Yellow fever.

Option A: Culex fatigans (also known as Culex quinquefasciatus) is the primary vector for Bancroftian filariasis, not Dengue fever.
Option C: The Culex vishnui group of mosquitoes are the principal vectors for Japanese Encephalitis.
Option D: Glossina palpalis, commonly known as the tsetse fly, is not a mosquito. It is the vector for African Trypanosomiasis, or 'sleeping sickness'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vector-borne disease transmission as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A nurse's primary role includes educating patients and communities about preventing mosquito-borne diseases. This involves teaching about source reduction (eliminating breeding sites), personal protection (using repellents, wearing protective clothing), and recognizing early signs of dengue.
Early recognition of dengue symptoms (high fever, severe headache, retro-orbital pain, muscle and joint pains, rash) is critical for timely management and preventing progression to severe dengue (Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever/Dengue Shock Syndrome).
What if? If a patient presents with fever and joint pain in an area where both Dengue and Chikungunya are endemic, the nurse should be aware that both are transmitted by the same vector (Aedes aegypti) and can have overlapping symptoms, requiring careful diagnostic differentiation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is to name the vector responsible for transmitting Dengue fever.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge base about common vector-borne diseases.
Systematically evaluate each option. For each vector listed, recall the primary disease it transmits.
Option A, Culex fatigans, is linked to Filariasis.
Option B, Aedes aegypti, is famously linked to Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika.
Option C, Culex vishnui, is linked to Japanese Encephalitis.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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