The following infection is transmitted by Ticks?

ISRO- 2016

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: ISRO- 2016

Explanation

Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a flavivirus.
It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans.
The primary mode of transmission to humans is through the bite of infected hard ticks, specifically of the Haemaphysalis genus (e.g., H. spinigera).
The disease is endemic to the forested regions of Southwestern India, particularly in the state of Karnataka.
It is also known as 'monkey disease' because monkeys are susceptible hosts, and their deaths often signal an outbreak.

Option A: Japanese encephalitis is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, not ticks.
Option B: Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), not ticks.
Option D: Yellow fever is another viral hemorrhagic fever that is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, primarily Aedes and Haemagogus species, not ticks.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Vector-borne diseases and their specific arthropod vectors helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the specific vector for a disease is critical for nurses in patient education and public health. Advice for preventing KFD (avoiding tick bites in forests) is very different from preventing Dengue (eliminating mosquito breeding sites at home).
A patient's travel and occupational history is a vital clue. A nurse should ask about recent visits to forests or rural areas if a tick-borne disease like KFD is suspected, especially in endemic regions.
What if? If a patient presented with fever and hemorrhagic signs after a trip to an urban area in a tropical country with no forest exposure, the clinical suspicion would shift away from KFD and strongly towards mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue or Chikungunya.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question stem, which is 'Ticks'. The question is asking to identify the disease transmitted by this specific vector.
Next, review the four options provided: Japanese encephalitis, Dengue Fever, Kyasanur Forest Disease, and Yellow Fever.
Systematically recall or deduce the mode of transmission for each disease. Many common viral fevers like Dengue, JE, and Yellow Fever are well-known to be mosquito-borne.
By eliminating the mosquito-borne diseases, you can narrow down the possibilities.
This process of elimination leaves Kyasanur Forest Disease. Even if you are not entirely familiar with it, it becomes the most probable answer.
Confirm the association: KFD is a classic example of a tick-borne viral disease, particularly in the context of Indian public health.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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