Multiple Choice Questions

MCQ on Communicable Diseases

By Biology Ease 12 min read
  1. Which of the following is a communicable disease?
    a) Diabetes
    b) Cancer
    c) Influenza ✅
    d) Asthma
    Explanation: Influenza is caused by a virus and spreads from person to person.
  2. Tuberculosis is caused by which organism?
    a) Virus
    b) Bacterium ✅
    c) Fungus
    d) Parasite
    Explanation: TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  3. Which body system is affected by pneumonia?
    a) Digestive
    b) Respiratory ✅
    c) Nervous
    d) Skeletal
    Explanation: Pneumonia affects the lungs and airways.
  4. How is malaria transmitted?
    a) Airborne droplets
    b) Contaminated food
    c) Mosquito bite ✅
    d) Direct skin contact
    Explanation: Malaria is transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
  5. The HIV virus causes:
    a) Tuberculosis
    b) AIDS ✅
    c) Hepatitis
    d) Flu
    Explanation: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) causes AIDS.
  6. Which of the following is a symptom of measles?
    a) Chest pain
    b) Skin rash ✅
    c) Diarrhea
    d) Swollen joints
    Explanation: Measles presents with a characteristic skin rash and fever.
  7. Chickenpox is caused by a:
    a) Bacterium
    b) Virus ✅
    c) Fungus
    d) Protozoa
    Explanation: The varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox.
  8. A vaccine is used to:
    a) Treat infections
    b) Diagnose disease
    c) Prevent disease ✅
    d) Relieve symptoms
    Explanation: Vaccines stimulate immunity to prevent future infections.
  9. Hepatitis B affects which organ?
    a) Heart
    b) Brain
    c) Liver ✅
    d) Kidneys
    Explanation: Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the HBV virus.
  10. The BCG vaccine is given to prevent:
    a) Malaria
    b) Polio
    c) Tuberculosis ✅
    d) Measles
    Explanation: BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) vaccine protects against TB.
  11. The common cold is spread through:
    a) Food
    b) Airborne droplets ✅
    c) Mosquito bites
    d) Blood transfusion
    Explanation: Cold viruses spread through coughing, sneezing, and contact with surfaces.
  12. Which of the following diseases can be prevented by a vaccine?
    a) Typhoid ✅
    b) Diabetes
    c) Arthritis
    d) Hypertension
    Explanation: Typhoid fever can be prevented with the typhoid vaccine.
  13. Dengue is spread by which mosquito?
    a) Anopheles
    b) Culex
    c) Aedes ✅
    d) Tsetse
    Explanation: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit the dengue virus.
  14. Ringworm is caused by a:
    a) Virus
    b) Fungus ✅
    c) Bacteria
    d) Parasite
    Explanation: Ringworm is a fungal infection affecting the skin.
  15. Which of these is a vector-borne disease?
    a) Asthma
    b) Typhoid
    c) Malaria ✅
    d) Hypertension
    Explanation: Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes (vectors).
  16. Hepatitis A is usually transmitted by:
    a) Air
    b) Blood
    c) Contaminated food and water ✅
    d) Skin contact
    Explanation: Hepatitis A spreads through the fecal-oral route.
  17. Which of the following is a bacterial infection?
    a) Influenza
    b) Tuberculosis ✅
    c) HIV
    d) Dengue
    Explanation: TB is caused by bacteria.
  18. Rabies is transmitted by:
    a) Mosquito
    b) Contaminated food
    c) Animal bite ✅
    d) Airborne droplets
    Explanation: Rabies is spread through bites from infected animals.
  19. Which symptom is common to many communicable diseases?
    a) Rash
    b) Fever ✅
    c) Weight gain
    d) Joint stiffness
    Explanation: Fever is a typical response to infection.
  20. Polio can lead to:
    a) Blindness
    b) Paralysis ✅
    c) Liver damage
    d) Lung infection
    Explanation: Polio virus attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis.
  21. Which disease is caused by a protozoan parasite?
    a) Measles
    b) Tuberculosis
    c) Malaria ✅
    d) Hepatitis
    Explanation: Plasmodium protozoa cause malaria.
  22. Which communicable disease affects the nervous system?
    a) Polio ✅
    b) Typhoid
    c) Influenza
    d) Cholera
    Explanation: Poliovirus affects motor neurons in the spinal cord.
  23. Which is the most effective method to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
    a) Antibiotics
    b) Vaccination ✅
    c) Fungal creams
    d) Cold compress
    Explanation: COVID-19 prevention includes vaccines, masks, and hygiene.
  24. Which disease is spread through contaminated water?
    a) Malaria
    b) Cholera ✅
    c) Influenza
    d) Tuberculosis
    Explanation: Cholera spreads via ingestion of water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae.
  25. The infectious agent in the flu is a:
    a) Virus ✅
    b) Bacterium
    c) Fungus
    d) Protozoa
    Explanation: Influenza is caused by the influenza virus.
  26. Typhoid is caused by which bacterium?
    a) Escherichia coli
    b) Staphylococcus aureus
    c) Salmonella typhi ✅
    d) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
    Explanation: Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever.
  27. What is the incubation period of HIV?
    a) A few hours
    b) 1–2 days
    c) Several years ✅
    d) 1 week
    Explanation: HIV can take years to progress to AIDS.
  28. Which of the following is an airborne disease?
    a) Malaria
    b) Dengue
    c) Tuberculosis ✅
    d) Hepatitis B
    Explanation: TB spreads through airborne droplets from coughs/sneezes.
  29. DPT vaccine protects against:
    a) Diabetes, Pneumonia, TB
    b) Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus ✅
    c) Dengue, Polio, TB
    d) Diarrhea, Pneumonia, Tetanus
    Explanation: DPT immunizes against 3 serious bacterial diseases.
  30. Which disease can be transmitted by sharing needles?
    a) Dengue
    b) HIV/AIDS ✅
    c) Malaria
    d) Tuberculosis
    Explanation: Sharing needles increases risk of bloodborne diseases like HIV.
  31. What is the first sign of rabies in humans?
    a) Paralysis
    b) Headache and fever ✅
    c) Vomiting
    d) Itching of hands
    Explanation: Early rabies symptoms are flu-like.
  32. Which communicable disease primarily affects the liver?
    a) Typhoid
    b) Hepatitis B ✅
    c) Measles
    d) Malaria
    Explanation: Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver.
  33. An example of a zoonotic disease is:
    a) AIDS
    b) COVID-19 ✅
    c) Polio
    d) Cholera
    Explanation: Zoonotic diseases are transmitted from animals to humans (e.g., COVID-19).
  34. Cholera leads to:
    a) High blood sugar
    b) Severe dehydration ✅
    c) Jaundice
    d) Breathing issues
    Explanation: Cholera causes rapid loss of fluids through diarrhea.
  35. Which is NOT a method of controlling communicable diseases?
    a) Immunization
    b) Hygiene
    c) Quarantine
    d) Smoking ✅
    Explanation: Smoking increases health risks, not disease prevention.
  36. Leprosy is caused by:
    a) Treponema pallidum
    b) Mycobacterium leprae ✅
    c) Plasmodium vivax
    d) Salmonella typhi
    Explanation: Leprosy is a bacterial disease affecting skin and nerves.
  37. SARS is caused by a:
    a) Bacteria
    b) Fungus
    c) Virus ✅
    d) Protozoa
    Explanation: SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is caused by a coronavirus.
  38. Which disease is characterized by persistent cough with blood?
    a) Malaria
    b) TB ✅
    c) Dengue
    d) Typhoid
    Explanation: TB often presents with chronic cough, sometimes with blood.
  39. Which of these is NOT a symptom of COVID-19?
    a) Fever
    b) Cough
    c) Sudden weight gain ✅
    d) Loss of smell
    Explanation: Sudden weight gain is not typical of COVID-19.
  40. The MMR vaccine protects against:
    a) Measles, Mumps, Rubella ✅
    b) Malaria, Measles, Rabies
    c) Mumps, Malaria, Ringworm
    d) Measles, Malaria, Rabies
    Explanation: MMR vaccine is a triple protection vaccine for children.
  41. Which virus causes Ebola?
    a) Retrovirus
    b) Filovirus ✅
    c) Coronavirus
    d) Adenovirus
    Explanation: Ebola is caused by a virus in the Filoviridae family.
  42. What is the mode of transmission for Hepatitis C?
    a) Airborne
    b) Mosquito
    c) Blood and bodily fluids ✅
    d) Food
    Explanation: Hepatitis C spreads through contaminated blood.
  43. The causative agent of diphtheria is:
    a) Corynebacterium diphtheriae ✅
    b) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
    c) Haemophilus influenzae
    d) Streptococcus pneumoniae
    Explanation: This bacterium produces toxins affecting the throat.
  44. An infection acquired in a hospital is called:
    a) Zoonotic
    b) Nosocomial ✅
    c) Endemic
    d) Opportunistic
    Explanation: Nosocomial infections are hospital-acquired.
  45. Kala-azar is transmitted by:
    a) Tsetse fly
    b) Mosquito
    c) Sand fly ✅
    d) Housefly
    Explanation: Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) is transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies.
  46. The vector for yellow fever is:
    a) Tick
    b) Tsetse fly
    c) Aedes mosquito ✅
    d) Black fly
    Explanation: Aedes aegypti transmits yellow fever virus.
  47. Which of these is a helminthic disease?
    a) Cholera
    b) Ascariasis ✅
    c) Typhoid
    d) Measles
    Explanation: Ascariasis is caused by intestinal roundworms.
  48. Anthrax can be spread through:
    a) Contaminated water
    b) Inhalation of spores ✅
    c) Mosquito bite
    d) Direct person-to-person contact
    Explanation: Inhalation of Bacillus anthracis spores causes pulmonary anthrax.
  49. Which communicable disease can cause microcephaly in newborns?
    a) Dengue
    b) Zika virus infection ✅
    c) Influenza
    d) Rubella
    Explanation: Zika virus infection during pregnancy can lead to microcephaly.
  50. Which disease has been eradicated globally?
    a) Polio
    b) Measles
    c) Smallpox ✅
    d) Tuberculosis
    Explanation: Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 by WHO.
  51. Which of the following is spread by contaminated food or water?
    a) Typhoid ✅
    b) Malaria
    c) Dengue
    d) Polio
    Explanation: Typhoid is a waterborne disease caused by Salmonella typhi.
  52. COVID-19 is caused by which virus?
    a) Influenza A
    b) SARS-CoV-2 ✅
    c) Zika
    d) HIV
    Explanation: SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for COVID-19.
  53. Which disease is also known as German measles?
    a) Mumps
    b) Rubella ✅
    c) Smallpox
    d) Polio
    Explanation: Rubella is often referred to as German measles.
  54. A common symptom of dengue is:
    a) Joint pain ✅
    b) Vomiting
    c) Cough
    d) Skin ulcers
    Explanation: Dengue often causes severe joint and muscle pain.
  55. Chickenpox mainly spreads through:
    a) Contaminated food
    b) Airborne droplets ✅
    c) Mosquito bites
    d) Contaminated needles
    Explanation: Chickenpox spreads through coughing and sneezing.
  56. Which of the following is a fungal disease?
    a) Athlete’s foot ✅
    b) Influenza
    c) Typhoid
    d) Tuberculosis
    Explanation: Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungus.
  57. Which disease is characterized by intense coughing fits?
    a) Tetanus
    b) Pertussis (Whooping cough) ✅
    c) Pneumonia
    d) Hepatitis
    Explanation: Pertussis causes severe coughing with a “whoop” sound.
  58. Which microorganism causes cholera?
    a) Salmonella typhi
    b) Vibrio cholerae ✅
    c) E. coli
    d) Staphylococcus aureus
    Explanation: Vibrio cholerae causes cholera.
  59. Which vaccine is used against polio?
    a) BCG
    b) MMR
    c) OPV ✅
    d) Hepatitis B
    Explanation: OPV stands for Oral Polio Vaccine.
  60. How is Hepatitis B commonly transmitted?
    a) Air
    b) Contaminated water
    c) Blood and bodily fluids ✅
    d) Mosquitoes
    Explanation: Hepatitis B spreads via contact with infected bodily fluids.
  61. A key symptom of meningitis is:
    a) Skin rash
    b) Stiff neck ✅
    c) Swollen feet
    d) Shortness of breath
    Explanation: Meningitis often presents with neck stiffness and fever.
  62. What causes the flu?
    a) Bacteria
    b) Virus ✅
    c) Parasite
    d) Fungus
    Explanation: Influenza is a viral illness.
  63. Ringworm is also known as:
    a) Tinea ✅
    b) Scabies
    c) Psoriasis
    d) Vitiligo
    Explanation: Ringworm is a fungal skin infection also called tinea.
  64. Which organ is mainly affected by tuberculosis?
    a) Brain
    b) Lungs ✅
    c) Liver
    d) Heart
    Explanation: TB primarily affects the lungs.
  65. Scabies is caused by:
    a) Virus
    b) Bacterium
    c) Mite ✅
    d) Fungus
    Explanation: Scabies is caused by a microscopic mite burrowing into the skin.
  66. Rabies vaccine is given:
    a) Before exposure only
    b) After exposure only
    c) Both before and after exposure ✅
    d) Not available
    Explanation: Rabies vaccine can be preventive or post-exposure.
  67. Which disease causes skin lesions and nerve damage?
    a) Leprosy ✅
    b) Measles
    c) Ringworm
    d) Typhoid
    Explanation: Leprosy affects the skin and peripheral nerves.
  68. Which disease is NOT transmitted by mosquitoes?
    a) Malaria
    b) Zika
    c) HIV ✅
    d) Dengue
    Explanation: HIV is spread through blood and bodily fluids, not insects.
  69. Who discovered the tuberculosis bacterium?
    a) Edward Jenner
    b) Robert Koch ✅
    c) Alexander Fleming
    d) Louis Pasteur
    Explanation: Koch discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 1882.
  70. One way to control communicable diseases is:
    a) Ignoring symptoms
    b) Antibiotics for all diseases
    c) Public awareness campaigns ✅
    d) Avoiding exercise
    Explanation: Educating the public helps prevent disease spread.
  71. Syphilis is caused by:
    a) Treponema pallidum ✅
    b) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
    c) Mycoplasma
    d) Chlamydia trachomatis
    Explanation: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a spirochete bacterium.
  72. Which virus causes mumps?
    a) Mumps virus ✅
    b) Rubella virus
    c) Rotavirus
    d) Influenza virus
    Explanation: Mumps is caused by the mumps virus.
  73. Kala-azar is caused by:
    a) Virus
    b) Bacteria
    c) Protozoa ✅
    d) Fungi
    Explanation: Kala-azar is caused by Leishmania donovani, a protozoan.
  74. The full form of AIDS is:
    a) Auto Immune Disease Syndrome
    b) Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ✅
    c) Acquired Infection Disease Syndrome
    d) Antibody Induced Deficiency Syndrome
    Explanation: AIDS results from long-term HIV infection.
  75. Typhoid is mainly diagnosed using:
    a) Sputum test
    b) Widal test ✅
    c) X-ray
    d) CT scan
    Explanation: Widal test checks for antibodies against typhoid bacteria.
  76. Which disease can be prevented by TT injection?
    a) Tuberculosis
    b) Tetanus ✅
    c) Typhoid
    d) Measles
    Explanation: TT stands for Tetanus Toxoid.
  77. The causative agent of the plague is:
    a) Bacillus anthracis
    b) Yersinia pestis ✅
    c) Salmonella
    d) Shigella
    Explanation: Yersinia pestis caused the Black Death.
  78. Which viral disease causes parotid gland swelling?
    a) Measles
    b) Mumps ✅
    c) Rubella
    d) Hepatitis
    Explanation: Mumps infects the salivary glands.
  79. Antiretroviral drugs are used to treat:
    a) Hepatitis B
    b) HIV/AIDS ✅
    c) Tuberculosis
    d) Cholera
    Explanation: These drugs help manage HIV.
  80. Rotavirus causes:
    a) Respiratory infection
    b) Diarrhea ✅
    c) Skin infection
    d) Ear infection
    Explanation: It is a leading cause of viral diarrhea in infants.
  81. Which disease spreads via fecal-oral route?
    a) HIV
    b) Hepatitis A ✅
    c) Hepatitis B
    d) Dengue
    Explanation: Contaminated food and water spread Hepatitis A.
  82. Dengue fever is also called:
    a) Breakbone fever ✅
    b) Jungle fever
    c) Water fever
    d) Rash fever
    Explanation: Because of the severe joint pain.
  83. Pneumonia can be caused by:
    a) Bacteria
    b) Viruses
    c) Fungi
    d) All of the above ✅
    Explanation: Pneumonia has multiple infectious causes.
  84. Scarlet fever is a complication of:
    a) TB
    b) Strep throat ✅
    c) Measles
    d) Rubella
    Explanation: It is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes.
  85. Gonorrhea is a:
    a) Viral STI
    b) Bacterial STI ✅
    c) Fungal STI
    d) Parasitic STI
    Explanation: Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
  86. Boils on the skin are often caused by:
    a) Staphylococcus aureus ✅
    b) E. coli
    c) Salmonella
    d) Bacillus
    Explanation: Common skin infection bacterium.
  87. Tetanus affects the:
    a) Digestive system
    b) Respiratory system
    c) Nervous system ✅
    d) Circulatory system
    Explanation: Tetanus toxin affects nerves and muscles.
  88. Which of the following is sexually transmitted?
    a) Tuberculosis
    b) HIV ✅
    c) Dengue
    d) Leprosy
    Explanation: HIV is transmitted through sexual contact.
  89. Which disease is prevented using mosquito nets?
    a) TB
    b) Malaria ✅
    c) COVID-19
    d) Measles
    Explanation: Nets prevent mosquito bites at night.
  90. What type of microorganism causes measles?
    a) Virus ✅
    b) Bacterium
    c) Fungus
    d) Parasite
    Explanation: Measles is caused by the Rubeola virus.
  91. Which disease is associated with the Aedes albopictus mosquito?
    a) Zika ✅
    b) Cholera
    c) TB
    d) Syphilis
    Explanation: This mosquito species spreads the Zika virus.
  92. A rare but severe form of TB is called:
    a) Primary TB
    b) Miliary TB ✅
    c) Latent TB
    d) Chronic TB
    Explanation: Miliary TB spreads throughout the body.
  93. Which disease is transmitted via the feces of triatomine bugs?
    a) Lyme disease
    b) Chagas disease ✅
    c) Leprosy
    d) Anthrax
    Explanation: Caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.
  94. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by:
    a) Virus
    b) Bacterium
    c) Prion ✅
    d) Fungus
    Explanation: CJD is a rare, fatal prion disease.
  95. What type of disease is scarlatina?
    a) Viral
    b) Bacterial ✅
    c) Parasitic
    d) Fungal
    Explanation: It’s an older term for scarlet fever.
  96. Which test confirms HIV infection?
    a) ELISA ✅
    b) PCR
    c) CBC
    d) Liver function test
    Explanation: ELISA detects HIV antibodies.
  97. Which organ is damaged in advanced syphilis?
    a) Heart
    b) Brain ✅
    c) Liver
    d) Skin
    Explanation: Neurosyphilis affects the brain and spinal cord.
  98. Which disease causes swelling of the lymph nodes and groin?
    a) Elephantiasis ✅
    b) Hepatitis
    c) Measles
    d) Scabies
    Explanation: Caused by filarial worms blocking lymph vessels.
  99. The term ‘carrier’ in communicable diseases refers to:
    a) A person who cannot get infected
    b) A person who transmits disease without showing symptoms ✅
    c) A doctor
    d) A vaccine
    Explanation: Asymptomatic carriers can spread infections.
  100. Which of the following is not a viral disease?
    a) Mumps
    b) Rabies
    c) Cholera ✅
    d) Influenza
    Explanation: Cholera is bacterial.