Diseases: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Science and Technology)
14 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on diseases and vaccines appear here, from 2013 to 2021. UPSC asks what Cas9 is, why pneumococcal conjugate vaccines matter, why drug resistance occurs, how recombinant vector vaccines work and how Hepatitis B differs from HIV. The explanations describe the science in plain terms.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
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UPSC 2014Science and Technology · Diseases
Q11. Consider the following pairs:
Vitamin Deficiency:
Disease
1. Vitamin C
Scurvy
2. Vitamin D
Rickets
3. Vitamin E
Night blindness
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation
Pair 1 is correctly matched: Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). It leads to symptoms like bleeding gums, bruising, fatigue, and poor wound healing.
Pair 2 is correctly matched: Rickets occurs due to Vitamin D deficiency, which impairs calcium absorption, leading to soft and weak bones in children. In adults, it can lead to osteomalacia.
Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Night blindness is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin A, not Vitamin E. Vitamin A is crucial for maintaining healthy vision, particularly in low-light conditions. Vitamin E deficiency, on the other hand, may lead to nerve and muscle damage or immune system issues.
Additional insight:
Vitamin Deficiency and Associated Conditions:
Vitamin Deficiency Condition Vitamin A Night blindness Vitamin B1 Beriberi Vitamin B2 Ariboflavinosis Vitamin B3 Pellagra Vitamin B5 Paresthesia Vitamin B6 Anemia Vitamin B7 Dermatitis, enteritis Vitamin B9 & Vitamin B12 Megaloblastic anemia Vitamin C Scurvy, Swelling of Gums Vitamin D Rickets & Osteomalacia Vitamin E Less fertility Vitamin K Non-clotting of blood
UPSC 2014Science and Technology · Diseases
Q12. Consider the following diseases: 1. Diphtheria 2. Chickenpox 3. Smallpox Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?
Explanation
Diphtheria has not been eradicated in India. It remains a public health concern, with cases still reported annually. It is a bacterial disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It primarily affects the respiratory system, causing symptoms such as a sore throat, fever, and difficulty breathing. A characteristic thick gray membrane forms on the throat and tonsils in severe cases. Diphtheria spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated objects. It is preventable through the DPT (Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus) vaccine, which is part of India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Chickenpox has not been eradicated in India. It is a common infectious disease, particularly among children, and continues to occur throughout the country. It is caused by the Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a highly contagious virus that spreads through respiratory droplets or direct contact with blisters. Symptoms include an itchy rash with red spots or blisters, fever, and fatigue. Following extensive surveillance and immunization campaigns, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared India free of smallpox in 1977. It is caused by the Variola virus, was one of the deadliest diseases in history, with a high mortality rate of 30%. It presented with symptoms like high fever, severe headache, and distinctive pus-filled blisters. Smallpox spread through direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated objects.
UPSC 2013Science and Technology · Diseases
Q13. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy 2. Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium. 3. Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Explanation
Viruses are microscopic infectious agents that require a host cell to reproduce. They consist of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat (capsid). They can cause a wide range of diseases in humans, animals, and plants.
Statement 1 is correct: Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and lack the metabolic machinery, including enzymes, to generate energy. They depend entirely on their host cells for energy and replication.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Viruses cannot replicate or survive in synthetic media alone. They require living host cells for replication. Common methods of culturing viruses include using cell cultures, embryonated eggs, or live animals.
Statement 3 is incorrect:
While some viruses are transmitted through biological vectors (e.g., mosquitoes for dengue), many are transmitted by other means such as: Respiratory droplets (e.g., influenza virus), Direct contact (e.g., herpes simplex virus), Fomites (e.g., contaminated surfaces).
UPSC 2013Science and Technology · Diseases
Q14. Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing? 1. Chikungunya 2. Hepatitis B 3. HIV-AIDS Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
Tattoos may cause diseases because tattoo instruments come in contact with blood and bodily fluids if the instruments are used on more than one person without being sterilised. However, tattoo-related infections are uncommon in sterile, contemporary tattoo parlours using single-use needles. Hepatitis B is a bloodborne infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is spread through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Unsafe tattooing practices, such as using unsterilized needles or contaminated ink, can easily transmit Hepatitis B. Studies show that Hepatitis B has a significantly high transmission risk through needlestick injuries or exposure to infected blood. HIV is transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk. Though the risk of HIV transmission through tattooing is lower compared to Hepatitis B, it exists if contaminated needles are used. Chikungunya is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes and is not spread through blood or contaminated instruments.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
11
2014
(a) 1 and 2 only
12
2014
(b) 3 only
13
2013
(a) 1 only
14
2013
(b) 2 and 3 only
What UPSC has tested in Diseases
Cas9 is a protein that acts as molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines help protect against pneumonia and other pneumococcal diseases.
Multi-drug resistance in the tuberculosis bacterium is linked to incomplete treatment and wrongly used antibiotics.
Viruses can infect bacteria, fungi and plants.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Diseases?
This page covers 14 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Diseases (Science and Technology), asked from 2013 to 2021. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
What is Cas9?
A protein used in CRISPR gene editing. Guided by an RNA molecule to a specific DNA sequence, it cuts the DNA there, so it acts as a pair of molecular scissors that lets scientists edit genes.
Why does multi-drug resistance occur in TB?
Mainly when patients do not complete the full course of drugs or when antibiotics are used wrongly. Bacteria that survive evolve resistance to several drugs, which makes treatment longer and harder.
What is a recombinant vector vaccine?
A vaccine that uses a harmless virus, such as an adenovirus, as a carrier to deliver a gene of the target pathogen into cells so the body learns to recognise it. Several COVID-19 vaccines used this design.
