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Prelims 2019 · Q98 · Diseases, vaccines & health

Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India?

  1. 1.Genetic predisposition of some people
  2. 2.Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases
  3. 3.Using antibiotics in livestock farming
  4. 4.Multiple chronic diseases in some people

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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Answer: B. Item 2 is correct: wrong or incomplete antibiotic doses let resistant microbes survive and spread. Item 3 is correct: heavy antibiotic use in livestock and poultry breeds resistance. Items 1 and 4 relate to the patient's body, not to how microbes become resistant. So 2 and 3 only.

Watch for: Students mix up why a patient falls ill more often with why microbes become resistant.

Why the other options are wrong
  • A. Wrong because genetic predisposition of people does not cause microbial drug resistance.
  • C. Wrong because items 1 and 4 are not causes of resistance.
  • D. Wrong because multiple chronic diseases in people are not a cause of resistance.

Source to check: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017); WHO fact sheet on antimicrobial resistance

Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.