The host in which a parasite attains maturity or passes sexual stage is known as?

IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017

Explanation

The definitive host is the organism in which a parasite reaches its adult, sexually mature stage.
Sexual reproduction of the parasite occurs within the definitive host, a critical step for producing offspring and continuing the life cycle.
A classic example is the Anopheles mosquito, which serves as the definitive host for the Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria, as the sexual cycle (sporogony) happens in the mosquito's gut.

Option B: The intermediate host is where the parasite lives during its larval or asexual stages. Sexual maturity is not reached in this host.
Option C: An incidental host, also known as an accidental host, is not part of the parasite's normal life cycle. The parasite typically cannot reach maturity or reproduce in an incidental host, making it a 'dead end'.
Option D: 'Index host' is not a recognized term in parasitology. It may be confused with 'index case,' an epidemiological term for the first documented patient in a disease outbreak.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Host-parasite relationships and the classification of hosts in parasitology as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Identifying the definitive and intermediate hosts is crucial for developing effective public health strategies to control parasitic diseases.
Control measures often aim to break the parasite's life cycle by targeting a specific host or vector. For example, malaria prevention focuses on mosquito control (the definitive host) through bed nets, insecticides, and eliminating breeding sites.
In foodborne parasitic infections like taeniasis (tapeworm), prevention involves thorough cooking of meat (pork or beef), which kills the larval stages in the intermediate host, preventing transmission to humans (the definitive host).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the definition of a specific type of host in a parasite's life cycle.
Focus on the key phrases: 'attains maturity' and 'passes sexual stage'.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of basic parasitology terminology.
Recall the definition of a 'definitive host' as the organism where the parasite's sexual reproduction takes place.
Recall the definition of an 'intermediate host' as the organism where asexual reproduction or larval development occurs.
Evaluate the options based on these standard definitions. 'Definitive host' directly matches the description in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Host-parasite relationships and the classification of hosts in parasitology.
Stem keywords: host, parasite, maturity, sexual stage
Lead-in keywords: known as
Negative lead-in flag: false

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