Wilson and Jungner criteria for disease screening include that the condition should have a 'recognizable latent or early symptomatic stage.' Which of the following VIOLATES this criterion, making it unsuitable for mass screening?

• A Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
• B Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• C Hypertension
• D Acute meningococcal meningitis ✓

Explanation

Acute meningococcal meningitis lacks a recognizable, detectable pre-symptomatic latent phase amenable to screening — it progresses rapidly from colonization to fulminant disease without a stage where early detection would permit effective intervention before symptom onset. In contrast, cervical CIN is a years-long pre-invasive stage, type 2 diabetes has prediabetes as an identifiable precursor, and hypertension is often asymptomatic for years, all of which fulfil the latent-stage criterion.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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