Question

Identify the mismatched pair

• A. Plasmodium - Hypertrophy
• B. Virus - Neoplasia
• C. Fasciola - Hyperplasia
• D. Wuchereria - Gigantism

Hint:

When evaluating pathogen-disease/symptom associations: \begin{itemize} \item \textbf{Plasmodium (malaria):} Affects red blood cells and liver, can cause organomegaly due to inflammation/hyperplasia, not typical hypertrophy of individual cells. \item \textbf{Viruses:} Many are oncogenic, directly leading to abnormal cell growth (neoplasia/cancer). \item \textbf{Fasciola (liver fluke):} Causes hyperplasia of bile duct epithelium. \item \textbf{Wuchereria (filarial worm):} Causes elephantiasis, characterized by massive tissue enlargement (a form of gigantism in affected limbs). \end{itemize}

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Analyze each pair to determine correctness.
Pair 1: Plasmodium - Hypertrophy
Plasmodium is a parasite that causes malaria. The malarial parasite primarily infects red blood cells and liver cells, causing their lysis (destruction) or abnormal multiplication, but not typically hypertrophy. Hypertrophy refers to the increase in the size of cells or tissues due to an increase in the size of existing cells, often in response to increased workload or demand. While malaria can lead to organ enlargement (like splenomegaly or hepatomegaly), this is often due to hyperplasia (increase in cell number) and inflammation, rather than just hypertrophy of individual cells in the direct context of parasite action.
Therefore, this pair is Mismatched. Pair 2: Virus - Neoplasia
Viruses are known to cause various cellular changes, including neoplasia, which is the abnormal proliferation of cells resulting in a tumor (cancer). Oncogenic viruses (e.g., Human Papillomavirus, Hepatitis B and C viruses) are well-established causes of cancer. Therefore, this pair is Matched. Pair 3: Fasciola - Hyperplasia
Fasciola (liver fluke) is a parasitic trematode that infects the bile ducts of the liver. Chronic infection with Fasciola can lead to pathological changes in the host's liver, including thickening of bile duct walls due to the proliferation of epithelial cells, which is a form of hyperplasia (increase in the number of cells). Therefore, this pair is Matched. Pair 4: Wuchereria - Gigantism
Wuchereria (e.g., Wuchereria bancrofti) is a filarial nematode that causes lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis. This condition is characterized by chronic inflammation and obstruction of lymphatic vessels, leading to massive swelling and thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, particularly in the limbs, resembling gigantism (abnormal and excessive growth in size). Therefore, this pair is Matched. Step 2: Identify the mismatched pair.
Based on the analysis:
Plasmodium - Hypertrophy is Mismatched.
Virus - Neoplasia is Matched.
Fasciola - Hyperplasia is Matched.
Wuchereria - Gigantism is Matched.
The question asks to identify the mismatched pair.