Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

Which statement about infectious diseases in the United States is accurate?

1. The World Health Organization aims to prevent the plague by avoiding contact with affected individuals.

2. Rabies spreads easily through contact with animals.

3. Polio has been eliminated in the U.S. since 1994.

4. The onset of tularemia is marked by a bulls-eye lesion.

The correct answer is: Polio has been eliminated in the U.S. since 1994.

The statement regarding polio having been eliminated in the U.S. since 1994 is accurate because the last reported case of wild poliovirus transmission in the United States occurred in 1979, and the country was declared polio-free in 1994 after extensive vaccination campaigns. This effort successfully reduced the incidence of polio to zero, showcasing the effectiveness of public health initiatives and vaccination programs in eradicating infectious diseases. While the other statements touch on various aspects of infectious diseases, they contain inaccuracies. For instance, while rabies is indeed a serious disease transmitted through animal bites, it does not spread easily through casual contact. The aim of the World Health Organization regarding the plague involves more comprehensive public health strategies, not solely avoidance of contact with affected individuals. Additionally, tularemia does not typically present with a bulls-eye lesion; rather, it may manifest with a different clinical picture, often starting with ulceroglandular lesions rather than the characteristic erythema migrans seen in Lyme disease.