Which term describes illness caused by pathogenic viruses, fungi, or bacteria and transmitted by person-to-person contact or through a vector such as an infected mosquito?

• A. Globalization
• B. Infectious disease
• C. Infant mortality
• D. Longevity

Answer: (B)

An infectious disease is an illness caused by pathogenic viruses, fungi, or bacteria that can be transmitted from one person to another or through a vector such as a mosquito. The defining point is that the illness arises from an infectious microorganism and has the potential to spread between people or via a vector, which is exactly what the description emphasizes. This sets it apart from terms like globalization (a process of increasing global connectedness), infant mortality (a measure of deaths of infants), or longevity (the length of life). Think of illnesses like the flu or malaria, which spread through direct contact, body fluids, or mosquito bites, illustrating how transmission is central to infectious diseases.