Match the human diseases in Group I with the causative agents in Group II.
Group I: P. Amoebiasis; Q. African sleeping sickness; R. Kala azar; S. Chagas' disease
Group II: 1. Leishmania donovani; 2. Trypanosoma cruzi; 3. Entamoeba histolytica; 4. Trypanosoma gambiense
P-3, Q-4, R-2, S-1
P-3, Q-2, R-1, S-4
P-3, Q-4, R-1, S-2
P-4, Q-3, R-1, S-2
ANSWER
The correct option is (C): P-3, Q-4, R-1, S-2.
Official answer: CSource: Official answer key, GATE 2019 BT (IIT Madras)
Amoebiasis (amoebic dysentery) is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica, so P-3. This rules out option D (P-4).
African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis) is caused by Trypanosoma brucei, which occurs as the subspecies T. b. gambiense (West and Central Africa) and T. b. rhodesiense (East Africa), both spread by the tsetse fly. Of the agents listed, only Trypanosoma gambiense fits, so Q-4. This rules out option B (Q-2).
Kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis) is caused by Leishmania donovani and spread by the sandfly, so R-1. This rules out option A (R-2).
Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and spread by the reduviid (kissing) bug in Central and South America, so S-2.
The full matching is P-3, Q-4, R-1, S-2, which is option (C).
KEY IDEA
Match each protozoan disease to its parasite: amoebiasis with Entamoeba histolytica, African sleeping sickness with Trypanosoma brucei (gambiense), kala azar with Leishmania donovani, and Chagas' disease with Trypanosoma cruzi. Remember the vector and the region: tsetse fly and Africa, sandfly, reduviid bug and the Americas.
WATCH OUT FOR
Swapping the two trypanosomes. Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas' disease in the Americas, not African sleeping sickness. Another slip is pairing kala azar with a Trypanosoma species, when it is caused by Leishmania.
From the GATE 2019 BT paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 11 Pathogens & antibiotics questions, with notes
