People with sub-clinical infection who are in carrier state without having a disease but can shed disease agent are known as:

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Explanation

A healthy carrier, also known as an asymptomatic or paradoxical carrier, is an individual who harbors and sheds a pathogenic organism without ever showing clinical signs or symptoms of the disease.
This state arises from a subclinical infection, where the immune system controls the pathogen enough to prevent illness but not enough to eliminate it completely, allowing for transmission.
The key identifiers from the question are "sub-clinical infection" and "without having a disease," which directly correspond to the definition of a healthy carrier.
Examples of diseases spread by healthy carriers include poliomyelitis, cholera, meningococcal meningitis, and diphtheria.

Option A: Incubatory carriers shed the infectious agent during the incubation period, which is the time before the onset of symptoms. They are presymptomatic and will eventually develop the disease.
Option B: This term describes the duration of the carrier state (short-term), not the clinical status of the person. Healthy, incubatory, and convalescent carriers can all be temporary carriers.
Option C: This term also describes the duration of the carrier state, specifically long-term or indefinite shedding. A chronic carrier may have been symptomatic initially and then recovered, or they could have been asymptomatic.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Types of disease carriers in epidemiology helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Identifying carriers, especially healthy carriers, is a major challenge in public health and infection control because they can spread disease unknowingly within the community.
Nurses play a crucial role in educating the public about hygiene practices (e.g., handwashing) and the importance of screening, which can help identify and manage carriers to prevent outbreaks.
What if? If a person continues to shed an infectious agent for more than a year after recovering from an illness, they would be classified as a chronic carrier, not a healthy carrier. The duration of shedding is the key differentiator.

How to Approach the Question

First, carefully read the question and identify the key defining phrases: "sub-clinical infection" and "without having a disease."
Next, analyze each option and recall its specific definition in the context of epidemiology.
An 'incubatory' carrier precedes illness. A 'temporary' or 'chronic' carrier relates to the duration of shedding.
A 'healthy' carrier specifically refers to someone who is infected but never develops the disease.
Match the key phrases from the question to the most precise definition. The phrase "without having a disease" directly points to the 'healthy carrier' state.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Types of disease carriers in epidemiology
Stem keywords: sub-clinical infection, carrier state, shed disease agent, without having a disease
Lead-in keywords: known as
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 89-91

Practise the full IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

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