🦠 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES – EXPLANATION (HIGH-YIELD NOTES)
🔷 1. MEASLES
✅ Agent
Measles virus
⚠️ Key SymptomsHigh fever
Red rash (starts from face → spreads)
Cough, runny nose
💉 Vaccine
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
📌 Exam Point
Highly contagious airborne disease
🔷 2. CHICKENPOX
✅ AgentVaricella-zoster virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Itchy blisters
Fever
💉 Vaccine
Varicella vaccine
📌 Exam Point
Virus remains dormant → can cause shingles later
🔷 3. INFLUENZA (FLU)
✅ AgentInfluenza virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Fever, body ache, cough
💉 Vaccine
Seasonal flu vaccine
📌 Exam Point
Vaccine changes yearly due to virus mutation
🔷 4. COVID-19
✅ AgentSARS-CoV-2 virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Fever, cough, loss of smell
💉 Vaccine
Covishield, Covaxin, etc.
📌 First Reported
Wuhan
🔷 5. HEPATITIS A
✅ Agent
Hepatitis A virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Jaundice
Liver inflammation
💉 Vaccine
HepA vaccine
📌 Transmission
Contaminated food & water
🔷 6. HEPATITIS B
✅ Agent
Hepatitis B virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Liver damage
Chronic infection possible
💉 Vaccine
HepB vaccine
📌 Transmission
Blood, body fluids
🔷 7. TUBERCULOSIS (TB)
✅ Agent
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
⚠️ Symptoms
Chronic cough
Weight loss
💉 Vaccine
BCG vaccine
📌 Discovery
Robert Koch
🔷 8. DIPHTHERIA / TETANUS / PERTUSSIS (DTP)
✅ Agent
Bacteria:
Corynebacterium diphtheriaeClostridium tetani
Bordetella pertussis
⚠️ Symptoms
Diphtheria → throat blockage
Tetanus → muscle stiffness
Pertussis → whooping cough
💉 Vaccine
DTaP / Tdap
📌 Exam Point
Combined vaccine (very important)
🔷 9. POLIO
✅ Agent
Poliovirus
⚠️ Symptoms
Paralysis
💉 Vaccine
OPV (Oral) / IPV (Injectable)
📌 Exam Point
India declared polio-free in 2014
🔷 10. HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
✅ Agent
Human papillomavirus
⚠️ Symptoms
Cervical cancer (in females)
💉 Vaccine
HPV vaccine
📌 Exam Point
Prevents cancer (very important MCQ)
🔷 11. MENINGITIS (BACTERIAL)
✅ Agent
Neisseria meningitidis (common)
⚠️ Symptoms
Fever
Neck stiffness
Headache
💉 Vaccine
Meningococcal vaccine
🔷 12. RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES)
✅ Agent
Rubella virus
⚠️ Symptoms
Mild fever
Rash
💉 Vaccine
MMR vaccine
📌 Exam Point
Dangerous in pregnancy
🔷 13. ROTAVIRUS
✅ Agent
Rotavirus
⚠️ Symptoms
Severe diarrhea in children
💉 Vaccine
Rotavirus vaccine
🔷 14. PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE
✅ Agent
Streptococcus pneumoniae
⚠️ Symptoms
Pneumonia
Meningitis
💉 Vaccine
PCV / PPSV
🔷 15. HIB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
✅ Agent
Haemophilus influenzae type b
⚠️ Symptoms
Pneumonia
Meningitis
💉 Vaccine
Hib vaccine
🎯 SUPER IMPORTANT REVISION TABLE
| Disease | Agent Type | Vaccine |
|---|---|---|
| Measles | Virus | MMR |
| Chickenpox | Virus | Varicella |
| Flu | Virus | Flu vaccine |
| COVID-19 | Virus | COVID vaccine |
| Hep A | Virus | HepA |
| Hep B | Virus | HepB |
| TB | Bacteria | BCG |
| DTP | Bacteria | DTaP |
| Polio | Virus | OPV/IPV |
| HPV | Virus | HPV |
| Meningitis | Bacteria | Meningococcal |
| Rubella | Virus | MMR |
| Rotavirus | Virus | Rotavirus |
| Pneumococcal | Bacteria | PCV |
| Hib | Bacteria | Hib |
Q1. MMR vaccine protects against:
👉 Measles, Mumps, Rubella ✅
Q2. Which disease causes paralysis?
👉 Polio ✅
Q3. BCG vaccine is for:
👉 Tuberculosis ✅
Q4. HPV vaccine prevents:
👉 Cervical cancer ✅
Q5. Rotavirus mainly affects:
👉 Children (diarrhea) ✅
📌 EXAM STRATEGY
Focus on:
Disease → Agent → Vaccine
Most repeated:
MMR, BCG, OPV/IPV
Remember:
- 👉 Viral diseases dominate vaccination questions
🎯 PYQs – COMMUNICABLE DISEASES & VACCINES
🔷 SSC / RAILWAY / JKSSB PYQs
Q1. BCG vaccine is used against:
A. Polio
B. Tuberculosis ✅
C. Measles
D. Cholera
👉 Explanation: BCG protects against TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Q2. Which disease is caused by virus?
A. Tuberculosis
B. Typhoid
C. Measles ✅
D. Cholera
👉 Explanation: Measles is viral; TB & Cholera are bacterial
Q3. Polio is prevented by:
A. BCG
B. DPT
C. OPV ✅
D. MMR
👉 Explanation: OPV = Oral Polio Vaccine
Q4. Cholera spreads through:
A. Air
B. Mosquito
C. Contaminated water ✅
D. Contact
Q5. Which disease is NOT communicable?
A. Malaria
B. Tuberculosis
C. Diabetes ✅
D. Dengue
🔷 NEET PYQs (Biology Focus)
Q6. Measles vaccine is given as:
A. BCG
B. OPV
C. MMR ✅
D. DPT
Q7. AIDS is caused by:
A. Bacteria
B. Virus ✅
C. Fungus
D. Protozoa
👉 Explanation: HIV virus attacks immune system
Q8. Which pathogen causes malaria?
A. Virus
B. Bacteria
C. Protozoa ✅
D. Fungi
Q9. Hepatitis B is transmitted through:
A. Air
B. Water
C. Blood & body fluids ✅
D. Food
Q10. Which disease affects liver?
A. Tuberculosis
B. Hepatitis ✅
C. Polio
D. Dengue
🔷 UPSC / STATE PCS PYQs
Q11. Which of the following diseases is prevented by DPT vaccine?
A. Malaria
B. Dengue
C. Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus ✅
D. Hepatitis
Q12. Which vaccine is given orally?
A. BCG
B. OPV ✅
C. DPT
D. Hepatitis B
Q13. HPV vaccine is used to prevent:
A. Lung cancer
B. Cervical cancer ✅
C. Brain tumor
D. Blood cancer
Q14. Which disease is caused by Vibrio cholerae?
A. Typhoid
B. Cholera ✅
C. TB
D. Measles
Q15. Which one is a vector-borne disease?
A. Cholera
B. Tuberculosis
C. Malaria ✅
D. Hepatitis
🔥 MIXED HIGH-FREQUENCY PYQs
Q16. MMR vaccine protects against:
👉 Measles, Mumps, Rubella ✅
Q17. Which disease has NO vaccine?
👉 AIDS (HIV) ✅
Q18. Which is a water-borne disease?
👉 Cholera / Typhoid ✅
Q19. Which disease causes paralysis in children?
👉 Polio ✅
Q20. Tuberculosis mainly affects:
👉 Lungs ✅
🧠 MOST REPEATED EXAM PATTERNS
Disease → Vaccine (Very Important)
Disease → PathogenMode of transmission
Communicable vs Non-communicable
⚡ QUICK REVISION (1-Minute)
BCG → TB
OPV/IPV → PolioMMR → Measles
DPT → Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus
Hep B → Liver disease
HIV → No vaccine