RAS question
Which vector is responsible for transmitting Zika virus?
Correct answer: (B) Aedes mosquito.
Aedes mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are the vectors responsible for transmitting Zika virus.
Explanation
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne infection, and WHO identifies infected mosquitoes of the Aedes (Stegomyia) genus as its primary vector, mainly Aedes aegypti and also Aedes albopictus. This is why "Aedes mosquito" is the best answer, not just "mosquito" in general. The same Aedes species also transmit dengue and chikungunya, which makes the association high-yield for Rajasthan exam vector-borne disease questions. The clinical importance goes beyond naming the insect: Zika infection in pregnancy is linked with microcephaly and other congenital malformations, and WHO also notes its association with Guillain-Barre syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis in adults and children.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Sand fly is the vector linked with leishmaniasis in the question, while WHO identifies Aedes mosquitoes as the primary Zika vector.
- (C) Culex mosquito is linked in the question with Japanese encephalitis and filariasis, not with the Aedes-borne transmission of Zika.
- (D) Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria, whereas Zika is primarily transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes.
Concept
This tests the vector-borne diseases part of Science & Technology, especially the disease-vector pairing needed to distinguish Aedes, Culex, Anopheles and sand fly options. It recurs in RAS because one correct vector often separates closely related public-health diseases.