Free Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses MCQs with Answers

59 Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses MCQs from Veterinary Science, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Veterinary public health examines how animal health affects human health through zoonotic diseases, food safety, environmental sanitation and population disease control. Coverage includes rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, anthrax, avian influenza and parasitic infections, along with their reservoirs, routes of transmission, surveillance, vaccination, quarantine and prevention under the One Health approach.

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59 questions · page 2 of 3

  • A. Embryonated eggs
  • B. Encysted larvae
  • C. Adult intestinal worms
  • D. Free swimming larvae

Explanation: Trichinellosis follows ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked meat containing encysted Trichinella larvae.

Correct answer: Encysted larvae
  • A. Coxiella burnetii
  • B. Brucella abortus
  • C. Listeria monocytogenes
  • D. Bacillus anthracis

Explanation: Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis and can survive and multiply at refrigeration temperatures.

Correct answer: Listeria monocytogenes
  • A. Orthopoxvirus
  • B. Morbillivirus
  • C. Henipavirus
  • D. Lyssavirus

Explanation: Rabies virus is a member of the genus Lyssavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae.

Correct answer: Lyssavirus
  • A. An infected flea
  • B. An infected hard tick
  • C. An infected female mosquito
  • D. An infected biting midge

Explanation: The oriental rat flea and related fleas transmit Yersinia pestis from infected rodents to humans.

Correct answer: An infected flea
  • A. Clostridium tetani
  • B. Campylobacter jejuni
  • C. Corynebacterium diphtheriae
  • D. Mycobacterium leprae

Explanation: Campylobacter jejuni is frequently linked to raw or undercooked poultry and causes acute inflammatory diarrhea.

Correct answer: Campylobacter jejuni
  • A. Pasteurella multocida
  • B. Yersinia pestis
  • C. Francisella tularensis
  • D. Bordetella bronchiseptica

Explanation: Francisella tularensis causes tularemia, which may follow contact with infected rabbits, ticks, or contaminated water.

Correct answer: Francisella tularensis
  • A. Cryptococcus neoformans
  • B. Candida albicans
  • C. Aspergillus fumigatus
  • D. Microsporum canis

Explanation: Microsporum canis is a common zoonotic dermatophyte carried by cats and dogs and causes ringworm in humans.

Correct answer: Microsporum canis
  • A. Wild aquatic birds
  • B. Domestic cattle
  • C. Reptiles in deserts
  • D. Laboratory rodents

Explanation: Wild aquatic birds, particularly ducks, geese, and other waterfowl, serve as important natural reservoirs for many avian influenza…

Correct answer: Wild aquatic birds
  • A. Domestic pigs of the genus Sus
  • B. Fruit bats of the genus Pteropus
  • C. Wild rodents of the genus Rattus
  • D. Waterfowl of the family Anatidae

Explanation: Fruit bats, especially Pteropus species, maintain Nipah virus in nature and can transmit it to animals or humans.

Correct answer: Fruit bats of the genus Pteropus
  • A. Bites of infected hard ticks
  • B. Milk from infected dairy cattle
  • C. Aerosolized excreta of infected rodents
  • D. Raw meat from infected wild pigs

Explanation: Hantaviruses are commonly transmitted when dust contaminated with infected rodent urine, saliva, or feces becomes airborne.

Correct answer: Aerosolized excreta of infected rodents
  • A. Maintenance reservoir host
  • B. Natural definitive host
  • C. Biological vector host
  • D. Accidental intermediate host

Explanation: Humans become accidental intermediate hosts when they ingest Echinococcus eggs and develop hydatid cysts.

Correct answer: Accidental intermediate host
  • A. Undercooked beef containing cysticerci
  • B. Undercooked pork containing cysticerci
  • C. Raw freshwater fish containing metacercariae
  • D. Unwashed vegetables containing hydatid eggs

Explanation: Taenia saginata infection follows ingestion of viable cysticerci in inadequately cooked beef.

Correct answer: Undercooked beef containing cysticerci
  • A. Receiving routine antibiotics during every trimester
  • B. Avoiding raw meat and contact with cat feces
  • C. Avoiding pasteurized milk and cooked vegetables
  • D. Using insect repellents before handling pet animals

Explanation: Pregnant women can reduce risk by eating thoroughly cooked meat, washing produce, and avoiding cat feces or using suitable precautions…

Correct answer: Avoiding raw meat and contact with cat feces
  • A. Oropharyngeal anthrax
  • B. Gastrointestinal anthrax
  • C. Inhalational anthrax
  • D. Localized cutaneous anthrax

Explanation: Inhalational anthrax results from breathing aerosolized Bacillus anthracis spores, often during processing of contaminated wool or hides.

Correct answer: Inhalational anthrax
  • A. A dead-end host is required for completion of every parasite cycle
  • B. A reservoir host is always the first infected human in an outbreak
  • C. A dead-end host efficiently spreads an agent to many vectors
  • D. A reservoir host maintains an agent and can sustain its transmission

Explanation: A reservoir host supports persistence of an infectious agent and may pass it to susceptible hosts or vectors.

Correct answer: A reservoir host maintains an agent and can sustain its transmission
  • A. Assisting livestock births without respiratory protection
  • B. Handling cooked poultry after kitchen preparation
  • C. Cleaning aquariums containing ornamental fish
  • D. Milking cattle after routine vaccination

Explanation: Coxiella burnetii is heavily shed in products of conception, especially from infected sheep, goats, and cattle.

Correct answer: Assisting livestock births without respiratory protection
  • A. Culex mosquitoes
  • B. Ixodes hard ticks
  • C. Phlebotomine sand flies
  • D. Xenopsylla fleas

Explanation: Borrelia burgdorferi and related organisms are transmitted mainly by Ixodes ticks.

Correct answer: Ixodes hard ticks
  • A. Metazoonosis
  • B. Sapronosis
  • C. Anthroponosis
  • D. Cyclozoonosis

Explanation: Anthroponosis refers to an infection maintained in humans and transmitted to other vertebrate animals.

Correct answer: Anthroponosis
  • A. Poultry
  • B. Horses
  • C. Cats
  • D. Cattle

Explanation: Cattle commonly carry E. coli O157:H7 in the intestinal tract and may contaminate meat, milk, water, or vegetables with feces.

Correct answer: Cattle
  • A. Dromedary camels
  • B. Domestic pigs
  • C. Sheep and goats
  • D. Wild waterfowl

Explanation: Dromedary camels are an important animal reservoir and source of MERS-CoV transmission to humans.

Correct answer: Dromedary camels