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NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017
Applied Microbiology & Infection control
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........ is a highly infectious illness caused by the rubeola virus?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

  • Measles is the correct answer as it is specifically caused by the rubeola virus, which belongs to the genus Morbillivirus.
  • It is an extremely contagious disease that spreads through airborne transmission or direct contact with respiratory secretions.
  • The clinical presentation includes a prodrome of fever, cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis, followed by a characteristic maculopapular rash.
  • A key diagnostic sign is the presence of Koplik's spots, which are small white spots on the inner cheek (buccal mucosa) that appear before the rash.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: Chickenpox is caused by the Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a type of herpes virus, not the rubeola virus.
  • Option B: Hepatitis-B is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Its mode of transmission is through infected blood and body fluids.
  • Option D: Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It is caused by the Dengue virus.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Causative agent of infectious diseases as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Identifying the correct causative agent is crucial for implementing appropriate infection control measures. Measles requires airborne precautions (N95 mask, negative pressure room), which are different from the precautions for other diseases.
  • Accurate diagnosis guides treatment. For example, Vitamin A supplementation is recommended for children with measles to reduce the severity and risk of complications like pneumonia and blindness.
  • Vaccination is the cornerstone of prevention. Understanding that measles is caused by the rubeola virus reinforces the importance of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine in public health.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the key term in the question stem, which is 'rubeola virus'.
  • This is a direct recall question that tests your knowledge of the causative agents of common infectious diseases.
  • Systematically review the options provided.
  • Recall or deduce the specific virus responsible for each disease: Chickenpox (Varicella-zoster), Hepatitis-B (Hepatitis B virus), Measles (Rubeola virus), and Dengue (Dengue virus).
  • Match the term 'rubeola virus' with the corresponding disease, which is Measles.
  • Confirm your choice by eliminating the other options based on their known causative agents.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Causative agent of infectious diseases
  • Stem keywords: highly infectious illness, rubeola virus
  • Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Qp7sl44LL4gbYnxZqnMncp

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2036-2038

E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 3 (pp 477-702 of 713) p. 65-67

E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 256-258

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