Question

UPSC Prelims 2019 Question:

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

1. Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV.
2. Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine.
3. Globally, the number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses are several times more than those infected with HIV.
4. Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years.

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 2: Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine.

Detailed Solution

Explanation:

Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, affects more than 50,000 new people each year and is a leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants. Symptoms are similar for hepatitis A, B and C and may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. Among these three, there are some visible differences which are as follows:

Parameter	Hepatitis A	Hepatitis B	Hepatitis C
Transmission of virus due to	1) Contamination of food	1) Blood transfusion 2) Used Towel/Trimmer (It spreads much like HIV)	1) Food Contamination 2) Blood Transfusion 3) Tattowing
Affects At	Liver	Liver	Liver
Severity		1) World’s most common serious liver infection. 2) It is up to 100 times more infectious than the HIV/AIDS virus.	The number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses are several times more than those infected with HIV.
Vaccine Availability	Yes	Yes	No

Therefore, option (2) is the answer.

Subject: Science & Technology | Health and Diseases

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