Which communicable disease is eradicated from India?

AIIMS Delhi NO - 2017

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2017

Explanation

Smallpox is the only disease among the options that has been successfully eradicated from India and globally.
India was officially declared free of smallpox in April 1977 after a rigorous surveillance and containment program.
The World Health Organization (WHO) certified the global eradication of smallpox in 1980, marking one of the greatest achievements in public health history.
Routine smallpox vaccination was discontinued worldwide after its eradication because the virus no longer exists in nature.

Option B: Measles is a highly contagious viral disease but has not been eradicated. It remains a vaccine-preventable disease, and India continues to report cases and conduct large-scale immunization campaigns (like the Measles-Rubella vaccine) to control its spread and work towards elimination.
Option C: Chickenpox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is a common and highly contagious childhood disease that is still prevalent (endemic) in India and worldwide. A vaccine is available but it has not been eradicated.
Option D: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that is endemic in India. It causes frequent outbreaks, particularly during and after the monsoon season. There is no eradicated status for Dengue; in fact, its incidence has been increasing in many parts of the world.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Eradication of communicable diseases in India helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the status of communicable diseases is crucial for nurses in patient education, vaccination counseling, and recognizing symptoms of prevalent versus eradicated diseases.
A nurse's role in maintaining high vaccination coverage for diseases like measles is critical to prevent outbreaks and work towards national elimination goals.
What if? If a patient presented with a vesicular rash today, a nurse's differential diagnosis would include chickenpox or other viral illnesses, but not smallpox. This knowledge prevents misdiagnosis and unnecessary public health alarms.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'eradicated'. Understand that this means the disease has been completely wiped out globally, with zero cases.
Next, consider the context: 'from India'.
Review the options and recall the current status of each disease. Think about which diseases you still hear about in the news or for which vaccinations are still given.
Evaluate each option: Smallpox vaccination stopped long ago because the disease was eradicated. Measles, Chickenpox, and Dengue are all still current health concerns in India.
Based on this analysis, conclude that Smallpox is the only disease on the list that has been eradicated.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 95-97