# DBT JRF 2022 — Question 52

Exam: DBT JRF 2022 · Section: B · Topic: Microbiology › Parasitology - Leishmaniasis · Difficulty: Medium

## Question

Which one of the following statements is most relevant to leishmaniasis?

## Options

- **A.** Large domestic animals such as cattle are the principal reservoir of L. donovani
- **B.** Both visceral leishmaniasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis are transmitted by the bite of sandflies.
- **C.** Artemisinin is effective in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
- **D.** Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes.

## Answer

Option B

## Explanation

Transmission vector for Leishmaniasis: Leishmaniasis (caused by Leishmania protozoa) is transmitted by the bite of SANDFLIES: • Old World: Phlebotomus species (Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia, Africa) • New World: Lutzomyia species (Latin America) Forms of leishmaniasis: • Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar): caused by L. donovani; affects liver, spleen, bone marrow. • Cutaneous leishmaniasis: caused by L. major, L. tropica; skin ulcers. • Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis: caused by L. braziliensis. Key: BOTH visceral and cutaneous forms are transmitted by the SAME vector (female sandfly), NOT by Anopheles mosquitoes (which transmit malaria) or Aedes (dengue) or Culex (West Nile). Answer: Female sandflies (Phlebotomus/Lutzomyia) transmit both forms of leishmaniasis.

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