Question

Assertion: AIDS spreads more rapidly than hepatitis.
Reason: HIV has a shorter incubation period than that of HBV.
A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for the Assertion.
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is not the correct explanation for the Assertion.
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.
E. If the assertion is false but reason is true.

Answer 1

Hint: AIDS and HIV are caused by viruses and are viral diseases. They are examples of STDs i.e. sexually transmitted diseases or venereal diseases i.e. they are transmitted from one human being to another through sexual intimacy.

Complete answer:
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which means the deficiency of the immune system, acquired during the lifetime of an individual. Syndrome means a group of symptoms.
AIDS is a deadly disease caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which mounts a direct attack on cells that have a specific protein called CD4 on their surfaces. CD4 is found in a class of lymphocyte cells called t4 cells. This class includes Helper T-cells which is why HIV destroys the body’s population of Helper T-cells. CD4 receptors are also found on macrophage surfaces and as a result, macrophage also become infected with HIV. Much of the HIV transmission from one individual to another is thought to occur within macrophages passed as part of the body fluids. Macrophages thus act as HIV factories.
Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver and can be caused by viruses, drugs and chemicals including alcohol. These are of various types- Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus. The mode of transmission of this virus is blood transfusion, sexual contact, saliva, tears, intravenous drug abuse, tattooing, ear and nose piercing, sharing of razors. It can produce cirrhosis and possibly cancer of the liver.
The median time for survival after a diagnosis of AIDS is two years. Some people with AIDS live for six or more years while others survive for a few months only.
So both the assertion and reason statements are incorrect.

Note: Vaccines produced through recombinant DNA technology are available to prevent hepatitis B infection, for example, Recombivax HB. There are no vaccines available for AIDS till now and it is a fatal disorder.