Diseases - GS questions based on daily current affairs

1)   Which of the following statements is/are correct about Rotavirus?

1. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe cold in children under age of five.
2. Rotavirus H is the most common species that causes infection in humans.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: None

Explanation:
- Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea among infants and young children.
- It is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae.
Rotavirus A, the most common species, causes more than 90% of rotavirus infections in humans.
- Himachal Pradesh became the first state of India to launch Rotavirus vaccination project.


2)   Genvoya has been approved by the Food and Drugs Administration of USA. It will treat -

a. Ebola
b. Swine Flu
c. HIV
d. Anthrax
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: HIV

Explanation:
- Genvoya contains a new form of the powerful antiviral medication tenofovir, which slows progression of the virus.
- This new form of the medication enters the body's cells, including those infected with HIV and where the virus replicates, more efficiently than previous forms of tenofovir.
- Therefore, its manufactures say it can be given at a lower dose, which results in 91 per cent less tenofovir in the bloodstream.
- The drug has fewer side effects . Its rate of kidney toxicity are lower, and decreases in bone density are also reduced in patients taking Genvoya, when compared with other drugs containing tenofovir.


3)   Which of the following statements is/are correct about albinism?

1. Albinism is a hereditary genetic condition.
2. Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- It results in no pigmentation in skin, eyes and hairs.
- Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects, such as photophobia, nystagmus and amblyopia.
- Lack of skin pigmentation makes for more susceptibility to sunburn and skin cancers.
- An organism with only a diminished amount of melanin is described as leucistic or albinoid.


4)   Which of the following statements is/are correct about Epilepsy?

1. International Epilepsy Day celebrated on February 9.
2. Epilepsy is a contagious disease.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that is treated with medication.
- It’s not a contagious disease, it does not spread by touch.
- It is characterized by epileptic seizures.
- The cause of most cases of epilepsy is unknown.
- Epileptic seizures are the result of excessive and abnormal cortical nerve cell activity in the brain.


5)   RTS,S vaccine is used against -

a. Small Pox
b. Ebola
c. Malaria
d. Influenza
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Malaria

Explanation:
- Mosquirix, otherwise known as the RTS,S vaccine, is the first against a parasitic infection in humans.
- It has been designed specifically to combat malaria infection in children in Africa.
- In 2001 a partnership was established between GSK and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with the aim of accelerating development of malaria vaccines.


6)   Which of the following are Diseases Prevented by Vaccines?

1. Tetanus
2. Measles
3. Chickenpox


a. Only 2
b. 1 and 3
c. Only 3
d. All
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: All

Explanation:
Diseases that used to be common in this country and around the world, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, rotavirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) can now be prevented by vaccination.