One of the following scientists demonstrated the transmission of malarial parasites by the bite of an Anophel… - IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019

IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019

Explanation

Sir Ronald Ross was a British officer in the Indian Medical Service who conducted groundbreaking research on malaria.
In 1897, he conclusively proved that malaria parasites are transmitted from infected patients to mosquitoes.
He then demonstrated that these parasites develop in the mosquito and are transmitted to healthy individuals through the mosquito's bite.
For this pivotal discovery, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902, as confirmed by historical records of major scientific achievements.

Option A: Emil von Behring's work was in immunology and bacteriology, not parasitology. He is known for developing a serum therapy against diphtheria.
Option B: Ziehl and Neelsen were bacteriologists who developed a specific staining technique (acid-fast stain) used to identify the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Option D: Karl Joseph Eberth was a German pathologist and bacteriologist who discovered the bacterium responsible for typhoid fever, now known as Salmonella typhi.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Microbiology: Discovery of Malaria Transmission as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Ross's discovery is the foundation of modern malaria prevention strategies, which are central to community health nursing. These include vector control measures like using insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS).
Nurses play a vital role in educating communities about eliminating mosquito breeding sites (stagnant water) and the importance of using protective measures, especially during evening and night hours when Anopheles mosquitoes are most active.
What if the question was about the discovery of the malaria parasite itself? The answer would be Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, who first observed the parasites in the blood of a malaria patient in 1880. Ross's work focused on its transmission cycle.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the 'discovery of malaria transmission by mosquitoes'.
Next, scan the options, which are names of famous scientists.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of the history of microbiology and medicine.
Associate each scientist with their major contribution. Sir Ronald Ross is famously linked with malaria transmission.
Eliminate the other options by recalling their discoveries: Behring (diphtheria antitoxin), Ziehl-Neelsen (TB stain), and Eberth (typhoid bacillus).
Confirm the correct match to answer the question confidently.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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