The following are the water borne diseases, except?

MNS 2015

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

Chicken Pox is a highly contagious disease caused by the Varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
Its primary mode of transmission is airborne, through respiratory aerosols that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The virus can also be transmitted through direct contact with the fluid from the characteristic skin blisters (vesicles).
Unlike the other options, Chicken Pox is not transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated water.

Option A: Cholera is a classic example of a water-borne disease. It is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which is typically ingested through contaminated water.
Option B: Dysentery is an intestinal inflammation, especially in the colon, that is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. This commonly occurs from ingesting food or water contaminated with pathogens like Shigella bacteria or Entamoeba histolytica.
Option C: Typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It is transmitted by ingesting food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Modes of disease transmission: Water-borne vs. Airborne as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the mode of transmission is fundamental for nurses to implement the correct infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and break the chain of infection.
For water-borne diseases like cholera, nursing interventions focus on ensuring access to safe drinking water, promoting sanitation, and meticulous hand hygiene. For airborne diseases like chickenpox, interventions include airborne precautions, patient isolation in a negative pressure room if available, and ensuring proper ventilation.
What if? If a patient presents with a fever and a widespread vesicular rash, a nurse's first action should be to place the patient on airborne and contact precautions to prevent the spread of suspected chickenpox, even before a definitive diagnosis is made.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'except'. This signals that you must find the option that does not fit the category described in the question stem.
The category specified is 'water borne diseases'.
Evaluate each option based on its primary mode of transmission.
Recall that Cholera, Dysentery, and Typhoid are all gastrointestinal illnesses primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, most commonly via contaminated water.
Recognize that Chicken Pox is known for its characteristic rash and is transmitted through respiratory droplets in the air.
Conclude that Chicken Pox is the exception and therefore the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Microbiology Essentials Sastry 4e Part 1 p. 131-133

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 90-92