Which one of the following is NOT a waterborne disease?

UPPSC-2021

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: UPPSC-2021

Explanation

Measles is an airborne disease, meaning it is transmitted through tiny droplets that remain suspended in the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes.
It is caused by the Rubeola virus and is highly contagious.
The other three options—Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Cholera—are all primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, often via water contaminated with infectious agents.
Therefore, Measles is the only option that is not a waterborne disease.

Option B: Typhoid fever is a classic example of a disease spread through contaminated food and water.
Option C: Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection transmitted through the fecal-oral route, commonly by ingesting contaminated food or water.
Option D: Cholera is a severe diarrheal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and is quintessentially a waterborne disease, often leading to epidemics where sanitation and water treatment are inadequate.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Modes of disease transmission, specifically differentiating between airborne and waterborne diseases helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the mode of transmission is fundamental for nurses to implement appropriate infection control precautions.
For a patient with Measles (airborne), a nurse must implement airborne precautions: placing the patient in a negative-pressure room, wearing an N95 respirator, and restricting access for susceptible individuals.
For patients with waterborne diseases (Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Cholera), nurses implement standard and contact precautions, with a strong emphasis on hand hygiene, patient education about food and water safety, and monitoring for dehydration.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'NOT' in the question stem. This signals that you must find the option that does not fit the specified category.
Next, define the category: 'waterborne disease'. This is an illness caused by pathogenic microorganisms transmitted through contaminated water.
Systematically evaluate each option against this definition.
Consider Typhoid: It is caused by Salmonella Typhi and spread through contaminated food and water. It fits the category.
Consider Hepatitis A: It is a virus spread via the fecal-oral route, often through contaminated water. It fits the category.
Consider Cholera: It is caused by Vibrio cholerae and is famously spread through contaminated water. It fits the category.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Modes of disease transmission, specifically differentiating between airborne and waterborne diseases.
Stem keywords: waterborne disease
Lead-in keywords: NOT
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the option that is NOT a waterborne disease.

QTayKqgaW3xYpx9uFIc_jR

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 34-36

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) p. 61-63