UPSC Prelims 2013 Q46: Science & Technology – Health & Diseases
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.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
Diseases that can spread through tattooing
Tattoo needles pierce the skin.
If they are not sterilised, they carry blood-borne germs from one person to the next.
| Disease | Spread through tattooing? | How it normally spreads |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chikungunya | No | Bite of the Aedes mosquito |
| 2. Hepatitis B | Yes | Infected blood and body fluids |
| 3. HIV-AIDS | Yes | Infected blood, sex, mother to child |
Blood-borne infections:
| Disease | Agent |
|---|---|
| Hepatitis B | A DNA virus; a vaccine exists |
| Hepatitis C | An RNA virus; no vaccine |
| HIV | A retrovirus that attacks the immune system |
The same risk applies to shared needles, razors and unscreened blood.
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Chikungunya spreads by mosquito bite, not by needles.
- (b) CORRECT. Hepatitis B and HIV-AIDS can spread through tattooing.
- (c) Incorrect. Chikungunya is not spread this way, and Hepatitis B is left out.
- (d) Incorrect. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease.
Key point
Blood-borne diseases (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV) spread by unsterilised needles; chikungunya, dengue and malaria spread by mosquitoes.
Remember
Tattoo needles: Hepatitis B and HIV.
Common mistakes
- Treating a mosquito-borne disease as blood-borne.
- Forgetting that Hepatitis B spreads more easily than HIV.
- Not counting Hepatitis C, which spreads the same way.
Exam tip
Needle = blood. Mosquito = vector. Sort the diseases by route.
Sources
- World Health Organization — Hepatitis B: fact sheet
- National AIDS Control Organisation — Modes of HIV transmission
- World Health Organization — HIV/AIDS: fact sheet