Q.83 Match the diseases with the appropriate causative agents
Disease Causative agent
(i) Rheumatic heart disease (p) Candida albicans
(ii) Syphilis (q) Group A Streptococcus
(iii) Genital warts (r) Human papilloma virus
(iv) Oral thrush (s) Treponema pallidum
(A) (i)-(p), (ii)-(q), (iii) –(s), (iv)-(r) (B) (i)- (q), (ii)- (s), (iii)-(r), (iv)-(p)
(C) (i)-(r), (ii)-(s), (iii)-(p), (iv)-(q) (D) (i)-(s), (ii)-(q), (iii)- (p), (iv) –(r)
The correct answer is (B) (i)-(q), (ii)-(s), (iii)-(r), (iv)-(p).
Disease-Agent Matches
Rheumatic heart disease follows group A Streptococcus (q) pharyngitis, leading to autoimmune valve damage. Syphilis arises from Treponema pallidum (s), a spirochete bacterium transmitted sexually. Genital warts result from human papillomavirus (r), particularly types 6 and 11. Oral thrush stems from Candida albicans (p) overgrowth, often in immunocompromised individuals.
Option Analysis
Option (A) (i)-(p), (ii)-(q), (iii)-(s), (iv)-(r): Incorrect. Rheumatic heart disease links to Streptococcus (q), not Candida (p); syphilis to Treponema (s), not Streptococcus (q); genital warts to HPV (r), not Treponema (s); oral thrush to Candida (p), not HPV (r).
Option (B) (i)-(q), (ii)-(s), (iii)-(r), (iv)-(p): Correct, as detailed above.
Option (C) (i)-(r), (ii)-(s), (iii)-(p), (iv)-(q): Incorrect. Rheumatic heart disease mismatches HPV (r); genital warts mismatch Candida (p); oral thrush mismatches Streptococcus (q).
Option (D) (i)-(s), (ii)-(q), (iii)-(p), (iv)-(r): Incorrect. Rheumatic heart disease mismatches Treponema (s); syphilis mismatches Streptococcus (q); genital warts mismatch Candida (p).
Rheumatic heart disease, syphilis, genital warts, and oral thrush represent key infectious diseases tested in CSIR NET Life Sciences exams, matching specific causative agents like Group A Streptococcus and Treponema pallidum. Understanding these links aids competitive exam preparation in microbiology and pathology.
Causative Agents Explained
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Rheumatic heart disease (Group A Streptococcus – q): Untreated pharyngitis by Streptococcus pyogenes triggers acute rheumatic fever, causing valvular damage via molecular mimicry.
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Syphilis (Treponema pallidum – s): Spirochete invades mucosa during sexual contact, progressing through stages if untreated.
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Genital warts (Human papillomavirus – r): HPV types 6/11 cause benign anogenital lesions via skin-to-skin transmission.
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Oral thrush (Candida albicans – p): Opportunistic yeast overgrowth on oral mucosa, favored by immunosuppression or antibiotics.
Exam-Style Matching Breakdown
| Disease | Correct Agent | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatic heart disease | Group A Streptococcus | Post-strep autoimmune carditis |
| Syphilis | Treponema pallidum | Sexually transmitted spirochete |
| Genital warts | HPV | Viral warts, types 6/11 |
| Oral thrush | Candida albicans | Fungal overgrowth in mouth |
Why Option B Wins
Option B perfectly aligns: (i)-(q) for strep-linked heart damage, (ii)-(s) for syphilis bacterium, (iii)-(r) for HPV warts, (iv)-(p) for candidiasis. Other options swap agents mismatched by pathogen type (bacterial vs. viral vs. fungal).
Mastering these matches boosts scores in CSIR NET microbiology sections on infectious agents and diseases.
