Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening include that the natural history of the disease should be adequately understood. Which of the following conditions would BEST satisfy ALL major Wilson-Jungner criteria for population-based screening?

• A Acute viral pharyngitis in adults
• B Stage IV metastatic lung cancer
• C Congenital hypothyroidism in neonates ✓
• D Tension-type headache in adolescents

Explanation

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) exemplifies a condition meeting all Wilson-Jungner criteria: it is an important health problem with significant morbidity if untreated; has a recognisable pre-symptomatic phase; has an accepted and effective treatment (thyroxine) that improves outcomes if given early; can be detected by a suitable, simple, safe test (TSH on neonatal blood spot); and cost-effective neonatal screening programmes exist globally. Acute viral pharyngitis is self-limiting without a pre-symptomatic benefit window; Stage IV cancer is beyond treatable early-detection stage; tension headaches lack identifiable pre-clinical phase amenable to screening.

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

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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