Which of the following is an inanimate object that can carry and spread disease and infectious agents?

Appeared in: BTSC 3 August 2025

Explanation

A fomite is defined as an inanimate object or substance that can become contaminated with infectious agents and serve as a mechanism for their transfer between hosts.
This mode of transmission is known as indirect contact or fomite-borne transmission.
Common examples in a healthcare setting include stethoscopes, bed linens, and medical equipment.
Diseases like diphtheria, typhoid fever, and many skin infections can be spread via fomites.

Option A: A reservoir is the natural habitat where a pathogen lives and multiplies. It is the source of the agent, not necessarily the object that transfers it.
Option B: Body defences are the physiological and immunological mechanisms that protect the body from pathogens. They are the opposite of a mechanism for spreading disease.
Option D: This option is a duplicate of the correct answer (Option C). In a single-best-answer format, such redundancy is a flaw in the question's design. While factually correct, only one option can be selected.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Modes of infectious disease transmission helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the role of fomites is critical for infection control in all healthcare settings.
Nurses must practice diligent hand hygiene and ensure proper disinfection and sterilization of equipment (e.g., stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers) to break the chain of infection.
Patient education should include information on how infections spread via objects in their environment and the importance of handwashing to prevent transmission.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question to identify the key concept. The question asks for the specific term for an 'inanimate object' that 'spreads disease'.
Evaluate each option based on this definition.
Option A, 'Reservoir', is the source/habitat of the pathogen, which can be animate or inanimate, but it's not the term for the object of transfer.
Option B, 'Body defences', is incorrect as it relates to protection from disease, not its spread.
Option C, 'Fomite', directly matches the definition of an inanimate object that transmits infectious agents.
Recognize that Option D is a duplicate of Option C. In such cases, both are technically correct, but you select one. This points to a flaw in the question construction, but 'Fomite' remains the correct concept.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) pp. 89-91, 87-89

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 p. 218-220

Practise the full BTSC 3 August 2025

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.