Which of the following vector causes kala azar (leishmaniasis)?& x20; - NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Explanation

Kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania.
It is transmitted to humans specifically through the bite of an infected female Phlebotomine sandfly.
The sandfly acts as the vector, carrying the parasite from an infected host (human or animal) to a new host.
In India, the species Phlebotomus argentipes is the proven vector for Kala-azar.

Option B: The Tsetse fly is the vector for African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness), a different protozoal disease endemic to Africa.
Option C: Mites are associated with different conditions. Trombiculid mites transmit Scrub Typhus, and Sarcoptes scabiei causes Scabies. They do not transmit Leishmaniasis.
Option D: Ticks are vectors for a variety of bacterial and viral diseases, such as Lyme disease and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), but not the protozoan parasite that causes Kala-azar.

Visual 1: Image - A close-up, labeled image of a Phlebotomine sandfly, highlighting its small size and hairy appearance to distinguish it from mosquitoes.
Visual 2: Infographic - A chart matching common vectors (Sandfly, Tsetse fly, Mosquito, Tick, Mite) to the primary diseases they transmit, providing a quick reference for students.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vector-borne diseases and their specific transmitting agents as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding vector-disease links is crucial for nurses in community health for implementing targeted prevention strategies, such as using insecticide-treated nets and promoting environmental sanitation to control sandfly breeding sites.
Patient education is a key nursing role. A nurse would advise a patient in an endemic area about personal protective measures like wearing long sleeves and using insect repellent, especially during dusk and dawn when sandflies are most active.
What if? If a patient presented with fever, weight loss, and an enlarged spleen and liver (hepatosplenomegaly) and had a travel history to a rural, endemic area like Bihar, a nurse should have a high index of suspicion for Kala-azar and ensure prompt diagnostic workup is initiated.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the specific vector for the disease 'Kala-azar' (also called 'leishmaniasis').
This is a factual recall question from community health nursing or microbiology.
Access your knowledge about common vector-borne diseases and their specific transmitting insects or arthropods.
Evaluate each option by trying to match it with a known disease. Link 'Sandfly' to 'Leishmaniasis/Kala-azar'.
Systematically rule out the other options by recalling the diseases they transmit: Tsetse fly → Sleeping Sickness; Mite → Scrub Typhus/Scabies; Tick → Lyme Disease/KFD.
Confirming the direct and well-known link between the Sandfly and Kala-azar makes it the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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