H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
- (a) AIDS
- (b) Bird flu
- (c) Dengue
- (d) Swine flu ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• H1N1 is the influenza A subtype that caused the 2009 'swine flu' pandemic, so named because the strain combined swine, avian and human flu genes — option (d).
• AIDS (a) is caused by HIV; bird flu (b) by H5N1/H7N9; dengue (c) by a flavivirus spread by Aedes mosquitoes.
• India saw a major H1N1 outbreak in 2015.
• Hence option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) AIDS
- AIDS is caused by HIV.
- (b) Bird flu
- Bird flu is H5N1/H7N9.
- (c) Dengue
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne flavivirus.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2015, held on 23 August 2015. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.