Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Malaria
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Many infectious diseases in humans are spread by vectors, which are living organisms that transmit pathogens from one host to another. Mosquitoes are among the most important vectors worldwide. Different mosquito genera transmit different diseases. This question focuses on the female Anopheles mosquito and asks which disease it transmits to humans.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Female Anopheles mosquitoes are the primary vectors of Plasmodium parasites, which cause malaria in humans. Chicken pox is a viral disease caused by varicella zoster virus and spreads mainly through respiratory droplets and direct contact, not mosquitoes. Kala azar (black fever) or visceral leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania parasites and spread by sandflies, particularly Phlebotomus species. Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria and is transmitted by contaminated water and food, not by mosquito bites. Therefore, among the options, only malaria is correctly linked with the female Anopheles mosquito.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase in the question: “female Anopheles mosquito”. This is the specific vector we must connect to a disease.Step 2: Examine option A, chicken pox. This is a viral disease spread mainly by air droplets and direct contact, not by any mosquito species.Step 3: Examine option B, malaria. Well established medical knowledge states that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria.Step 4: Examine option C, black fever (kala azar). This disease is transmitted by sandflies, not by Anopheles mosquitoes.Step 5: Examine option D, cholera. Cholera spreads by contaminated water and food; it is not a mosquito borne disease.Step 6: Conclude that malaria is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling common public health messages that link bed nets, mosquito control, and indoor spraying with prevention of malaria. These measures specifically target Anopheles mosquitoes. Vaccination and hygiene measures are used for other diseases like chicken pox and cholera, which confirms they are not transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because chicken pox is an airborne viral disease, not vector borne. Option C is wrong because kala azar is transmitted by sandflies, a different insect vector. Option D is wrong because cholera is a water and food borne disease linked to poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water, not to mosquitoes of any kind.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up different mosquito genera and the diseases they carry, for example confusing Anopheles with Aedes and Culex. A helpful memory aid is that Anopheles is classically associated with malaria, Aedes with dengue and chikungunya, and Culex with diseases like Japanese encephalitis. Keeping these associations clear greatly improves accuracy in vector borne disease questions.
Final Answer:
Malaria.
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