Health and diseases
Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions.
Health is not just the absence of disease. It is a state of complete physical, mental, social and psychological well-being. Diseases like typhoid, cholera, pneumonia, fungal infections of skin, malaria and many others are a major cause of distress to human beings. When the functioning of one or more organs or systems of the body is adversely affected, characterised by appearance of various signs and symptoms, we say that we are not healthy, i.e., we have a disease. Our immune system plays the major role in preventing these diseases when we are exposed to disease-causing agents. Immune system has memory. On subsequent exposure to same pathogen, the immune response is rapid and more intense. This forms the basis of protection afforded by vaccination and immunisation. Among other diseases, AIDS and cancer kill a large number of individuals worldwide. Many cancers are curable if detected early and appropriate therapeutic measures are taken.
Widal test is used to confirm:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Typhoid
Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It can be confirmed by the Widal test.
(1) Malaria — Incorrect. It is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium. NCERT does not link it to the Widal test.
(2) Typhoid — Correct. The Widal test confirms it.
(3) Pneumonia — Incorrect. It is caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. NCERT does not link it to the Widal test.
(4) Common cold — Incorrect. It is a viral disease, and NCERT does not link it to the Widal test.
Note 1: The passage is taken from NCERT. NTA has put lines of the NCERT text together to make it. Most CUET (UG) questions come straight from NCERT, so study the book line by line, including figures and their titles.
Note 2: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 23-05-2025 (Slot 2), and in CUET (UG) 2023 on 27-05-2023 (Slot 3).
NCERT Extract:
Common Diseases in Humans – “… Salmonella typhi is a pathogenic bacterium which causes typhoid fever in human beings. These pathogens generally enter the small intestine through food and water contaminated with them and migrate to other organs through blood. Sustained high fever (39° to 40°C), weakness, stomach pain, constipation, headache and loss of appetite are some of the common symptoms of this disease. Intestinal perforation and death may occur in severe cases. Typhoid fever could be confirmed by Widal test : A classic case in medicine, that of Mary Mallon nicknamed Typhoid Mary, is worth mentioning here.”