Kala azar is transmitted by

Appeared in: UPPSC 2022

Explanation

Kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a protozoal disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania.
The primary mode of transmission to humans is through the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sandfly.
In India, the specific vector responsible for transmitting Kala-azar is the sandfly species Phlebotomus argentipes.
The sandfly injects the parasite while taking a blood meal, leading to infection characterized by fever, weight loss, and enlargement of the spleen and liver.

Option A: The Reduviid bug, also known as the 'kissing bug', is not the vector for Kala-azar.
Option C: The Tsetse fly is the vector for a different protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei.
Option D: While mosquitoes are significant vectors for many diseases, they do not transmit the Leishmania parasite that causes Kala-azar.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vector-borne transmission of Kala-azar (Visceral Leishmaniasis) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the specific vector for a disease is crucial for public health nurses to implement targeted control measures, such as insecticide spraying and reducing sandfly breeding sites (e.g., cracks in walls, damp soil).
Patient education is a key nursing role. Nurses must advise people in endemic areas on protective measures like using bed nets, wearing protective clothing, and applying insect repellent, especially during the nocturnal feeding times of sandflies.
In a clinical setting, a patient's travel and residential history is a vital part of the assessment. Knowing that a patient has been in a Kala-azar endemic area helps in the differential diagnosis of fever with splenomegaly.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question, which is 'Kala-azar'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of communicable diseases and their modes of transmission.
Access your memory bank for information on major vector-borne diseases.
Systematically evaluate each option. Recall or deduce the primary disease transmitted by each vector: Reduviid bug (Chagas), Tsetse fly (Sleeping Sickness), and Mosquito (Malaria, Dengue).
By elimination and direct recall, associate the Sandfly with the transmission of Leishmaniasis, of which Kala-azar is the visceral form.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) p. 169-171

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 92-94

Practise the full UPPSC 2022

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.