During an outbreak investigation of acute encephalitis syndrome in a district of Uttar Pradesh, entomological surveillance identifies Culex tritaeniorhynchus as the dominant mosquito species. Which animal serves as the principal amplifying host in the transmission cycle?
- A Cattle
- B Dogs
- C Pigs ✓
- D Rats
Correct answer: C. Pigs
Explanation
Japanese encephalitis is transmitted mainly by Culex tritaeniorhynchus, which breeds in rice paddies and stagnant water. Pigs act as amplifying hosts because they develop high, prolonged viraemia without severe illness, allowing rapid virus multiplication in the mosquito-pig cycle. Man is a dead-end host. Wading birds are reservoirs, cattle are irrelevant, and rats play no role, so cattle is the most tempting but incorrect distractor.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 26th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.