Which term describes illness caused by pathogenic microbes and transmitted between people or through vectors?

• A. Chronic illnesses
• B. Infectious disease
• C. Epidemics
• D. Avian influenza

Answer: (B)

The key idea is illnesses caused by pathogens that can spread between people or via carriers. The term that fits this description is infectious disease. These illnesses come from bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites and can pass from one person to another or be transmitted through vectors like mosquitoes or ticks. This keeps them distinct from chronic illnesses, which are typically noncommunicable. A term like epidemics describes how widespread an outbreak is, not the nature of the illness itself, and avian influenza is a specific example of an infectious disease rather than the general category.