Question

Which of the following causes kala-azar?
A. Ascaris
B. Trypanosoma
C. Leishmania
D. Bacillus

Answer 1

Kala-azar is a disease characterized by irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of spleen and the liver of the body, and sometimes anemia which can be serious at times.

Complete answer:
Kala-azar is also called black fever. This disease needs to be treated on time otherwise it can be lethal and can cause death of the infected person. Let us analyze the options to find out the correct option.
Option A: Ascaris causes an infection of the intestine called ascariasis. It is mostly caused by roundworms or Ascaris commonly by Ascaris lumbricoides. It is most common in the place where there is poor sanitation. People get the infection through unclean food and water. Symptoms of ascariasis include coughing, shortness of breath, blood in mucus, fever, chest discomfort and aspiration pneumonia in some cases. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option B: Trypanosoma causes african sleeping sickness disease. They are transmitted by the bites of flies. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, joint pain and itching. Infected people can also experience changes in their behaviour, confusion and poor coordination. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option C: Leishmania causes balck fever or kala-azar. It affects the internal organs including spleen, liver and bone marrow. The symptoms of kala-azar include fever, weight loss, swelling of liver and spleen. Some people do not experience any symptoms. Therefore, this is the correct option.

Option D: Bacillus causes anthrax which is a rare but serious illness caused by spore forming bacterium. It mainly affected animals and sometimes humans when they come in contact with infected animals or by inhaling their spores. Symptoms of this disease depend on the route of infection and can range from skin ulcers to difficulty in breathing.Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C)

Note: Kala-azar or black fever can be treated by medications that can kill the parasite. If it is left untreated it can be fatal and cause severe symptoms. And can be lethal also.