Question map
Which one of the following statements is not correct?
Explanation
The correct answer is option B because this statement is incorrect – it reverses the reality about hepatitis vaccines.
Hepatitis B infections can be prevented with the hepatitis B vaccine, while no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C has been licensed.[1] Therefore, the statement claiming "Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine" is factually wrong.
The other options are correct: Hepatitis B virus shares similar transmission routes with HIV, including[3] sexual contact and blood exposure[4]; globally, hepatitis B and C infections far outnumber HIV cases; and most people with chronic hepatitis B and C infections are asymptomatic or may not show symptoms[5] for many years.[6]
Since the question asks which statement is "not correct," option B is the answer as it contains false information about vaccine availability.
Sources- [1] https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/12793/chapter/3
- [2] https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines/hiv-clinical-guidelines-adult-and-adolescent-opportunistic-infections/hepatitis-b-virus
- [3] https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/hivaids-co-infection/
- [5] https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-and-hepatitis-b
- [6] https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines/hiv-clinical-guidelines-adult-and-adolescent-opportunistic-infections/hepatitis-b-virus
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'Sitter' disguised as a complex medical question. You did not need to know the global infection statistics (Option C). You only needed to know one basic fact from Mission Indradhanush: Hepatitis B vaccine exists and is widely administered in India. Option B contradicts this fundamental public health fact.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Are the transmission routes of Hepatitis B similar to those of HIV (including sexual contact, blood exposure, and perinatal transmission)?
- Statement 2: Is there a licensed vaccine available for Hepatitis B?
- Statement 3: Is there a licensed vaccine available for Hepatitis C?
- Statement 4: What are the current global estimated numbers of people infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV?
- Statement 5: Can Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections remain asymptomatic or without noticeable symptoms for many years in some infected individuals?
- Explicitly states that HBV's general modes of transmission are similar to those of HIV.
- Specifically notes perinatal transmission and compares efficiency of transmission to HIV, implying shared routes such as blood/sexual exposure.
- Directly says both viruses share similar transmission routes and high coinfection frequency.
- Lists specific shared routes: mother-to-baby during childbirth (perinatal), unsafe medical/injection practices and unscreened blood transfusions, sexual activity and injection drug use.
- States that HIV and hepatitis B share common transmission routes.
- Specifies condomless sexual contact and sharing drug use equipment as shared routes of transmission.
Explicitly lists HIV transmission by blood/blood products, semen and genital secretions, and breast milk—giving a clear pattern of body‑fluid (blood/sexual/perinatal) routes for HIV.
A student could compare these listed HIV fluid-based routes with authoritative facts about Hepatitis B (a virus also transmitted by blood and sexual contact and perinatally) to judge similarity.
States sexual contact transmits various bacterial and viral infections (explicitly naming HIV) and that condom use reduces transmission—establishing sexual transmission as a common route for some viruses.
A student could use this rule (sexual acts can transmit certain viruses) to investigate whether Hepatitis B is among those sexually transmissible viruses.
Lists 'Hepatitis A' alongside modes like contaminated water/food, indicating that 'hepatitis' as a category includes types with differing transmission routes (not all hepatitis share the same routes).
A student could use this to avoid overgeneralizing from one hepatitis type and instead check which hepatitis types (e.g., B) match the HIV pattern of blood/sexual/perinatal spread.
Notes hepatitis is a vaccine‑preventable viral disease, implying it is viral and has established transmission routes that public health measures target.
A student might follow this by looking up (or recalling) the specific transmission routes targeted by hepatitis B vaccination programs (e.g., perinatal prevention) to compare with HIV routes.
- Explicitly states that infections can be prevented with the hepatitis B vaccine.
- Directly contrasts hepatitis B with hepatitis C by noting no vaccine for hepatitis C has been licensed, implying the hepatitis B vaccine is licensed/available.
Describes general ways vaccines are made (weakened/dead pathogens or parts of the pathogen), establishing that viral diseases can be targets for vaccine development.
A student could use this rule plus the fact that Hepatitis B is a viral disease to infer it is biologically plausible a vaccine could exist and then check vaccine lists for Hepatitis B.
Gives a concrete example of an inactivated-toxin vaccine (tetanus) showing that vaccination is a standard preventive tool for different infectious agents.
Using this example, a student might treat Hepatitis B like other preventable infections and look for whether similar vaccine approaches have been applied to hepatitis viruses.
Lists Hepatitis A in a disease-prevention context alongside 'vaccination', implying that some hepatitis types have vaccines.
A student could note that Hepatitis A has vaccination mentioned and then compare types of hepatitis (A vs B) on a medical reference to see if Hepatitis B is likewise vaccine-preventable.
States India is one of the world's largest vaccine producers, showing capacity and real-world availability of licensed vaccines from major manufacturers.
A student could check major producers' vaccine portfolios (or national immunisation schedules) to see whether Hepatitis B appears among routinely produced/licensed vaccines.
Explains voluntary and compulsory licensing mechanisms for pharmaceuticals, a regulatory pathway relevant to licensed production and distribution of vaccines.
A student could use this to understand how a Hepatitis B vaccine, if developed, might be licensed or manufactured generically in different countries and then search licensing records.
- The passage explicitly states that no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C has been licensed.
- The source is an Institute of Medicine / National Academies publication, indicating an authoritative statement on the topic.
Explains general vaccine types and that vaccines are made from weakened/dead pathogens or parts of pathogens — establishes what 'having a vaccine' means for viral diseases.
A student could use this rule to know a Hepatitis C vaccine would likely be one of these types and then check whether such a vaccine has been developed/licensed for HCV.
States vaccines are preventive and highlights the process of careful testing for safety — implying licensing requires demonstrated safety/efficacy.
A student can extend this to understand that a licensed HCV vaccine would need completed trials and regulatory approval, so they can look for such trial outcomes or approvals.
Gives an example (tetanus) of a licensed vaccine protecting against a specific pathogen — illustrates that some infections have licensed vaccines while others may not.
A student could compare hepatitis viruses (A, B vs. C) to see which have examples of licensed vaccines and thereby suspect whether HCV has one.
Lists Hepatitis A in a disease list associated with water/food and vaccination as a preventive measure — indirectly indicates that different hepatitis types have differing vaccine status.
A student could infer that while Hepatitis A has vaccination mentioned, they should check separately whether Hepatitis C is similarly listed as vaccine-preventable.
Explicitly states 'There is no vaccine currently available' for dengue — an example showing some viral diseases still lack licensed vaccines.
A student can use this as a pattern: not all viruses have licensed vaccines, so they should verify whether HCV is in the 'no licensed vaccine' category by consulting authoritative sources.
Gives a concrete historic global estimate for HIV (~40 million in 2012), showing that published UN/UNO estimates exist and are used for global HIV burden.
A student could use this as a baseline and consult more recent UN/UNAIDS reports or extrapolate trends (rise/decline) using known population/time changes to judge current estimates.
Provides an earlier global HIV figure (4 crore ≈ 40 million in 2003) and notes geographic concentration (two‑thirds in Africa), indicating that historical point estimates and regional breakdowns are commonly reported.
A student could compare the 2003 and 2012 figures to infer trend direction and seek up‑to‑date sources for current counts and regional distributions.
Lists HIV among sexually transmitted viral infections, highlighting mode of transmission which affects prevalence patterns and detection strategies.
Using knowledge of transmission routes and population behaviours, a student could infer which regions/populations are more likely to have higher HIV prevalence and therefore where global counts concentrate.
Distinguishes types of hepatitis (e.g., Hepatitis A) and transmission routes (water/food), showing that 'hepatitis' is a family of diseases with different epidemiology—important when judging global burden for B and C specifically.
A student could use this distinction to avoid conflating hepatitis A prevalence with hepatitis B/C and thus seek B/C–specific global estimates (bloodborne vs. waterborne patterns).
States that a viral infection (dengue) may remain asymptomatic, giving a clear example of viruses causing subclinical or symptom-free infections.
A student can generalise that some viral infections behave similarly and so check clinical literature on hepatitis B/C for known asymptomatic or carrier states.
Describes HIV infection progressing to AIDS over time and causing late-stage disease, illustrating that some viral infections have long asymptomatic or latent periods before serious symptoms.
Use this pattern (long silent period in a blood-borne virus) to consider whether other blood-borne viruses like hepatitis B/C might also have long asymptomatic phases.
Mentions hepatitis C as an emerged and 'poorly understood' disease alongside other serious infections, implying variability in presentation and disease course.
Treat this as a cue to look up standard clinical descriptions for hepatitis C to see if asymptomatic chronic infection is reported.
Explains that immunity and vaccination alter disease outcomes and that exposures can produce different clinical results, implying infections can vary from severe to mild/undetected.
Apply this general rule to hepatitis viruses: investigate whether host immunity or lack thereof can lead to asymptomatic chronic infection.
Outlines that communicable diseases are caused by pathogens entering the body in various ways and spreading; this general framework supports comparing routes and natural histories among pathogens.
Compare transmission routes (e.g., blood/sexual for hepatitis B/C) with other blood-borne viruses that have asymptomatic phases to assess plausibility.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Solvable purely by knowing the Universal Immunization Programme (Mission Indradhanush).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Public Health > Communicable Diseases > Viral Hepatitis vs HIV.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Hepatitis Matrix': 1. **A & E**: Fecal-oral route ('Vowels = Bowels'), acute only. 2. **B, C, D**: Blood/Sexual route, chronic cancer risk. 3. **Vaccines**: Available for A and B. **No vaccine for C** (due to high mutation). D is prevented by B vaccine. 4. **Cure**: Hep C is curable (DAAs); Hep B is manageable.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When studying diseases, do not just read descriptions. Create a comparison table on three specific axes: **Transmission Mode**, **Vaccine Availability**, and **Curability**. UPSC loves swapping these attributes to create trap options.
Infectious diseases transmit by direct contact, contaminated food and water, and via arthropod vectors.
High-yield for answering questions on epidemiology and public health interventions; helps classify diseases and prescribe preventive measures (sanitation, vector control, safe contact practices). Links to syllabus areas on epidemics, disease control and disaster management.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 17: Contemporary Issues > Transmission > p. 25
- Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: How do Organisms Reproduce? > 7.3.3 (d) Reproductive Health > p. 125
HIV is transmitted by transfer of body fluids such as blood, blood products, semen, genital secretions, and breast milk.
Essential for questions on communicable diseases, reproductive health and policy responses (testing, safe blood supply, PMTCT, breastfeeding guidance). Enables comparison with other blood-borne or sexually transmitted infections.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > AIDs/HIVs > p. 81
- Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: How do Organisms Reproduce? > 7.3.3 (d) Reproductive Health > p. 125
Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water, demonstrating that different hepatitis viruses have different transmission routes.
Crucial for public health distinctions between hepatitis types when formulating prevention strategies (sanitation, vaccination, blood-safety). Helps prevent overgeneralisation about 'hepatitis' in policy and exam answers.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Activity 3.4: Let us find out > p. 34
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Ability of the body to fight diseases > p. 37
Describes how vaccines are made (weakened/dead pathogens or harmless parts) and how they induce immunity.
High-yield for health and biotechnology questions; helps classify which vaccine platforms suit specific diseases and informs policy debates on vaccination strategies. Connects immunology basics to public health interventions and enables answering questions on vaccine design, efficacy, and deployment.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Ability of the body to fight diseases > p. 37
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Ability of the body to fight diseases > p. 38
Highlights India as a large-scale vaccine manufacturer and its contribution to global vaccine supply.
Essential for GS and ethics/policy areas dealing with pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, global health diplomacy, and supply-chain resilience. Useful for questions on self-reliance, export policy, and crisis response (e.g., pandemic vaccine production).
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > India's Role in Vaccine Production > p. 39
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 7: Indian Economy after 2014 > 7.14 Aatma Nirbhar bharat > p. 245
Covers TRIPS-related waivers and voluntary/compulsory licensing as mechanisms affecting vaccine manufacture and access.
Critical for policy-analysis questions on access to medicines, trade rules, and public health equity; links international law, domestic patent policy, and pharma manufacturing capabilities. Enables evaluation of strategies to increase vaccine availability during health emergencies.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 13: International Organizations > 3. Covid-19 Pandemic and Intellectual Property: > p. 392
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 13: International Organizations > 13.10 Generic Drugs and Compulsory Licenses > p. 389
Understanding how vaccines are made (weakened/dead pathogens, parts of pathogens, or instructing body cells) is directly relevant when assessing whether a vaccine exists for a given virus.
High-yield for public health and immunology questions; helps evaluate feasibility and timelines for vaccine development against specific pathogens. Connects to biotechnology, clinical trials, and policy discussions about vaccine deployment and intellectual property.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Ability of the body to fight diseases > p. 37
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Ability of the body to fight diseases > p. 38
Hepatitis D (Delta Virus). It is a 'satellite virus' that can ONLY replicate in the presence of Hepatitis B. Therefore, the Hepatitis B vaccine is technically the only prevention for Hepatitis D as well.
The 'Flagship Scheme' Check. Option B says Hepatitis B has no vaccine. Pause and ask: 'Is Hep B part of Mission Indradhanush?' Yes, it is a pentavalent vaccine component. If the government gives it for free, it exists. Statement B is false. Mark it.
GS-3 (IPR & Economy): The treatment for Hepatitis C (Sofosbuvir) was a major global flashpoint for Compulsory Licensing and Patent Law (Section 3(d) of Indian Patent Act), highlighting the tension between affordable generic drugs and Big Pharma patents.