Which animal is amplifier of Japanese encephalitis?

NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Explanation

Pigs are the primary amplifier hosts for the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV).
The virus replicates to very high levels in a pig's blood (viremia), which allows for efficient transmission to biting mosquitoes.
This amplification process in pigs significantly increases the amount of virus circulating in an environment, which in turn elevates the risk of human infection.
Wading birds also serve as a natural reservoir, but pigs are the key amplifiers in the cycle, especially in rural agricultural areas where humans, pigs, and mosquitoes live in close proximity.

Option A: Cows are not amplifier hosts for JEV. While they can be bitten by mosquitoes, they do not develop significant viremia to contribute to the transmission cycle.
Option B: Monkeys are not the primary amplifier hosts for Japanese Encephalitis.
Option D: Cats are not involved in the natural transmission cycle of the Japanese Encephalitis virus and are not considered amplifier hosts.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Japanese Encephalitis transmission cycle and amplifier hosts as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding that pigs are the main amplifiers is crucial for public health. Control measures often include vaccinating pigs and managing pig farms (e.g., locating them away from human dwellings) to break the transmission cycle.
Nurses play a key role in educating communities in endemic areas about JE prevention, which includes reducing mosquito breeding sites, using mosquito nets, and understanding the risks associated with local pig farming.
What if? If a community has a high rate of JE and also has many free-roaming pigs, the priority public health intervention would be a combination of mosquito control and a targeted pig vaccination campaign, as this addresses the core of the amplification cycle.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'amplifier' and 'Japanese encephalitis'.
This is a factual recall question related to community health nursing and communicable diseases.
Recall the specific zoonotic transmission cycle of Japanese Encephalitis. The term 'amplifier host' is a specific epidemiological concept referring to a host where an infectious agent replicates to high levels, increasing the risk of transmission.
Systematically evaluate the options based on your knowledge. Pigs are well-documented as the primary amplifier hosts for JE.
Eliminate the other options. Cows, monkeys, and cats do not play this specific role in the JE cycle.
Confirm your choice by selecting the animal known to be the main amplifier.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) pp. 148-150, 149-151

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 1701-1703