Chapter 15

Hygiene - [A Key to Healthy Life

Progress Check 1

Question 1

Fill in the blanks.

(a) Cleanliness, rest and sleep, and physical exercise are a part of ............... hygiene.

(b) One must always breathe by the ............... and never by the ............... .

(c) Fresh air brings ............... into the living rooms.

(d) One must never put a sharp pointed object into the ..............., it may rupture
the ............... .

(e) For adults 6-7 hours of continuous undisturbed ............... is sufficient.

(f) The municipal bodies must ensure the supply of clean germ-free ............... and an efficient
............... disposal.

Answer

(a) Cleanliness, rest and sleep, and physical exercise are a part of personal hygiene.

(b) One must always breathe by the nose and never by the mouth.

(c) Fresh air brings Oxygen into the living rooms.

(d) One must never put a sharp pointed object into the ear it may rupture the ear drum.

(e) For adults 6-7 hours of continuous undisturbed sleep is sufficient.

(f) The municipal bodies must ensure the supply of clean germ-free drinking water and an
efficient sewage disposal.

Question 2

List any three advantages of a daily bath.

Answer

Three advantages of a daily bath are:

1. Keeps the skin clean and free of germs.

2. Opens the sweat pores.
3. Removes the body odour.

Progress Check 2

Question 1

Tick-mark the correctly matched pairs of certain animals and their related diseases/habits.

1. Culex — yellow fever

2. Aedes — filariasis
3. Anopheles — malaria
4. Gambusia — eat up mosquito larvae
5. Rat flea — diarrhoea
6. Cockroaches — breed in man-holes

Answer

The correct pairs are:

1. Anopheles — malaria
2. Gambusia — eat up mosquito larvae
3. Cockroaches — breed in man-holes

Progress Check 3

Question 1

Mention if the following statements are True (T) or False (F)

1. Contamination means entry of germs by insect bite.

2. Sewage is the commonest source of contamination of water in the cities.
3. Cholera is marked by acute diarrhoea and no urination.
4. Typhoid is caused by a type of worm.
 5. Mosquitoes are the source of dysentery germs.

Answer

1. False
Corrected Statement — Contamination means entry of germs to food and water by
flies.
2. True
3. True
4. False
Corrected Statement — Typhoid is caused by a type of bacteria.
5. False
Corrected Statement — Flies are the source of dysentery germs.

Multiple Choice Type

Question 1(i)

No urination due to shortage of water in the body is a typical symptom of

1. Typhoid
2. Malaria
3. Dysentery
4. Cholera

Answer

Cholera

Reason — Cholera results in severe diarrhoea which further results in dehydration.

Therefore, it results in no urination.

Question 1(ii)

Which one of the following is an unhealthy habit?

1. Removing wax from inside the ears

2. Keeping the mouth closed while breathing
3. Sleeping for only 6-7 hours
4. Sharing towels with others

Answer

Sharing towels with others

Reason — Sharing towels with others can spread germs and diseases.
Question 1(iii)

The protozoan that causes malaria is:

1. Entamoeba histolytica
2. Euglena
3. Paramecium
4. Plasmodium

Answer

Plasmodium

Reason — Malaria is caused due to Plasmodium.

Question 1(iv)

The chemical substance mainly responsible for tooth disorders is

1. Calcium
2. Chloride
3. Fluorides
4. Iodides

Answer

Fluorides

Reason — Excess fluorides affect teeth development and cause white streaks on enamel.

Question 1(v)

Typhoid is caused by

1. Housefly
2. Bacteria
3. Virus
4. None of the above

Answer

Bacteria

Reason — Typhoid is caused by Salmonellabacteria.

Question 1(vi)

The germ causing Hepatitis is transmitted through:

 1. The bite of a mosquito
2. Contamination of food by a housefly
3. Personal contact with a patient
4. Contaminated water

Answer

Contaminated water

Reason — Hepatitis A is caused due to contaminated water.

Question 1(vii)

Which of the following is an agent that acts as an intermediate carrier of a pathogen?

1. Genes
2. Water
3. Vector
4. None of these

Answer

Vector

Reason — The carrier of the pathogen is called vector. It transmits the pathogen to human
beings and animals and cause diseases.

Question 1(viii)

Which of the following is an insecticide

1. DPT
2. DCT
3. DDT
4. DPD

Answer

DDT

Reason — DDT was used as an insecticide. It is banned now due to its adverse
environmental effects and human health risks.

Question 1(ix)

Plasmodium is a :

1. Virus
2. Protozoan
 3. Bacterium
4. Fungus

Answer

Protozoan

Reason — The malaria germ Plasmodium is a Protozoan.

Question 1(x)

The fishes which selectively devour mosquito larvae are :

1. Carps
2. Sharks
3. Dogfish
4. Gambusia

Answer

Gambusia

Reason — Gambusia is one of the biological control of mosquitoes.

Question 1(xi)

Identify the water-borne diseases based on their symptoms given below:

Water borne
Symptoms
disease

Yellowish eyes, dark yellow urine

P
(due to bile pigments).

Severe diarrhoea and vomiting

Q
followed by dehydration

1. P — Trachoma, Q — Hepatitis
2. P — Trachoma, Q — Cholera
3. P — Conjunctivitis, Q — Dysentry
4. P — Hepatitis, Q — Cholera

Answer

P — Hepatitis, Q — Cholera
Reason — Hepatitis is caused by accumulation of bile pigments in the body. It's symptoms
are yellowish eyes and skin and dark yellow urine. Cholera is spread through contaminated
water. It's symptoms are severe diarrhoea, vomiting and rapid dehydration.

Assertion Reason Type

Question 2(i)

Assertion (A): Malaria is caused by Plasmodium which is spread by Culex mosquito.

Reason (R): There are two hosts in the life cycle of a malarial parasite which are Anopheles
mosquito and humans/monkeys/birds, etc.

1. A is True and R is False.

2. A is False and R is True.
3. Both A and R are True.
4. Both A and R are False.

Answer

A is False and R is True.

Reason — Malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium. However, it is transmitted by the

female Anopheles mosquito, not Culex.
Plasmodium requires two hosts to complete its life cycle: The female Anopheles mosquito
and humans/monkeys/birds, etc.

Question 2(ii)

Assertion (A): Gambusia is a kind of fish which should be introduced in ponds. These fishes
enhance the oxygen content of the water.

Reason: (R): Gambusia fishes selectively devour mosquito larvae from the ponds. Hence
used to control the growth of mosquitoes.

1. A is True and R is False.

2. A is False and R is True.
3. Both A and R are True.
4. Both A and R are False.

Answer

A is False and R is True.

Reason — Gambusia is introduced in ponds not to increase oxygen content, but to control
mosquito populations. They do not significantly enhance oxygen levels in water.
Gambusia are biological control agents used to eat mosquito larvae, helping prevent
mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.
Question 2(iii)

Assertion (A): Bacillary dysentery is caused due to infection by a protozoan which occurs
frequently in children.

Reason: (R): Shigella is a kind of bacillus bacteria which causes bacillary dysentery.

1. A is True and R is False.

2. A is False and R is True.
3. Both A and R are True.
4. Both A and R are False.

Answer

A is False and R is T

Reason — Bacillary dysentery is caused by a bacterium, not a protozoan. Shigella is a

bacillus-shaped bacterium responsible for bacillary dysentery.

Question 2(iv)

Assertion (A): Hygiene is defined as the science and practice of maintaining good health.

Reason: (R): Hygiene can be maintained by taking vaccines and antibiotics regularly to keep
a person away from diseases.

1. A is True and R is False.

2. A is False and R is True.
3. Both A and R are True.
4. Both A and R are False.

Answer

A is True and R is False.

Reason — Hygiene involves practices like cleanliness, safe food and water handling,
personal care, and sanitation. It is aimed at promoting and maintaining health and preventing
disease.
Vaccines help in building immunity, and antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections.
These are medical measures, not hygiene practices. Hygiene includes actions like washing
hands, bathing etc.

Very Short Answer Type

Question 1

Fill in the blanks:

(a) Taking stimulants and ............... are unhealthy habits.

(b) Physical exercise should be ............... and regular.

(c) Public drains and garbage must be covered with ............... powder or lime.

(d) ............... is often designated as public enemy no. 1.

(e) ............... is a parasite which lives on rat's skin.

Answer

(a) Taking stimulants and sedatives are unhealthy habits.

(b) Physical exercise should be systematicand regular.

(c) Public drains and garbage must be covered with bleaching powder or lime.

(d) Housefly is often designated as public enemy no. 1.

(e) Rat-flea is a parasite which lives on rat's skin.

Question 2

Name the following :

(a) The bacterium which causes cholera.

(b) The liquid domestic wastes from the kitchen, toilet, etc.

(c) The chemical substances used to kill rats.

(d) The disease caused due to the inflammation of liver.

(e) The disease caused due to the bacilli bacteria released in tannery wastes from leather
industries.

Answer

(a) Vibrio cholera

(b) Sewage

(c) Rat poison or raticides

(d) Hepatitis

(e) Anthrax

Question 3

Complete the blanks in the table given below:

 DISEASE PATHOGEN VECTOR

Malaria Plasmodium 1 mosquito

2 3 Culex mosquito

4 Virus 5 mosquito

Answer

DISEASE PATHOGEN VECTOR

Malaria Plasmodium Anophelesmosquito

Elephantitis Wuchereria Culex mosquito

Dengue &
Virus Aedesmosquito
yellow fever

Short Answer Type

Question 1

Define:

(a) Health

(b) Hygiene

(c) Pathogen/germ

(d) Vector

(e) Contamination

Answer

(a) Health is the condition of the body of a person who depicts or portrays physical, mental,
social and emotional fitness.

(b) Hygiene is defined as the science and practice of maintaining good health. It requires
caring of one's own body (personal hygiene) and taking proper care of surroundings (social
hygiene).

(c) The disease causing organisms are called pathogens or germs.

(d) Vector is any agent that acts as an intermediate carrier of a pathogen.

(e) Contamination means unwanted entry of disease causing germs into drinking water or
edible foods.

Question 2

Give suitable explanations for the following:

(i) One should breathe by nose and never by mouth.

(ii) Hands must be washed before eating food.

(iii) Eating places must be kept free of flies.

Answer

(i) One should breathe by nose and never by mouth because nose contains hair and mucous to
trap dust and micro-organisms, so that the inhaled air becomes pure and the respiratory
passage is free of dust and micro-organisms.

(ii) Washing hands before eating food is essential because our hands come into contact with
various objects and surfaces throughout the day, many of which can carry harmful germs.
These germs which may be picked up by our fingers and transferred to other parts of our
body or into the mouth through food. Thus, washing hands helps protect us from diseases that
can be transmitted through these germs or vectors.

(iii) Flies contaminate our food in various ways like by sitting on it, pouring out its saliva on
it, depositing its excreta on the food while it feeds and so on. Hence, to avoid contamination
of food and prevent the spread of diseases, eating places must be kept free of flies.

Question 3

How are cockroaches and rats harmful to humans?

Answer

Cockroaches and rats are common household pests. They are harmful to humans in the
following ways:

1. Cockroaches eat and spoil food, paper and clothes. They are also suspected to be
carriers of certain viral diseases, possibly including a cancer-causing virus.
2. Rats eat grains and other foods. They also spread germs of certain diseases. Rat-fleas
is a parasite that lives on rat's skin. It may carry germs of plague.

Question 4

Name the two types of dysentery and their causative germs and give one main precaution
against them.

Answer
The table below depicts the two types of dysentery, their causatives and precautions:

Type of
Causative Precaution
Dysentery

Consume
Bacterium –
Bacillary safe(boiled) drinking
Shigella
water.

Always check for

Protozoan –
food and water
Amoebic Entamoeba
contamination before
histolytica
consumption.

Question 5

Mention three symptoms of the disease Hepatitis.

Answer

The three symptoms of Hepatitis disease are:

1. Body ache
2. Eyes turn yellowish, due to the bile pigments – urine turns to deep yellow
3. Enlarged liver

Question 6

Suggest any two methods of controlling flies.

Answer

The two methods of controlling flies are:

1. Elimination of breeding places of flies.

2. Spraying houses and breeding places of flies with insecticides.

Question 7

List any three effective methods for controlling mosquitoes.

Answer

The effective methods for controlling mosquitoes are:

1. Elimination of breeding places for mosquitoes.

 2. Spraying on stagnant water with Kerosene or some other greasy oil to kill larvae and
pupae. Spraying DDT and other insecticides to kill adult mosquitoes.
3. Biological control by introducing certain fishes like Gambusia which selectively
devour on mosquito larvae.

Question 8

Mention any three ways by which potable water can be contaminated.

Answer

Contamination of potable (drinking) water can occur in several ways such as:

1. Sewage, if improperly disposed, leaks into sub soil and may contaminate underground
water supplies.
2. Urination and defecation near water bodies such as ponds, lakes and rivers
3. Contamination of water bodies by the drainage of animal washings and wastes from
poultries and dairies.

Long Answer Type

Question 1

Describe the different ways by which the housefly contaminates our food.

Answer

The manner in which the housefly spreads diseases are:

1. Hairy body and legs pick up the filth — Houseflies have spiny or hairy legs and
body that tend to pick up dirt containing germs from germ-infested places such as
faecal matter, rotten material, infected wound. When the housefly rests on our food, it
rub its legs continuously dropping the particles of filth on the food, causing it to get
contaminated.
2. Pouring out saliva — Food is also contaminated with germs when the housefly
moistens the foodstuffs by pouring out its saliva on it, or when it vomits (regurgitates)
food which it has swallowed from dirty places.
3. Excreta — It deposits its excreta while it feeds and thus contaminates human food.

Question 2

What are the four major aspects of personal hygiene?

Answer

The four major aspects of personal hygiene are:

1. Cleanliness — Regular washing of hands is very important for our health as it helps
to avoid so many communicable diseases. Cleanliness also include daily bathing,
 wearing washed clothes and washing hair and eyes. Brushing teeth, twice daily helps
to maintain oral hygiene.
2. Rest and sleep — All organs of our body including the brain need rest. In general, the
body obtains adequate rest by means of sleep. For adults 6-7 hours of continuous
undisturbed sleep is sufficient.
3. Physical exercise — Physical exercise are important for all age groups. It should be
systematic and regular. It improves blood circulation and maintains general health.
4. Healthy habits — Few healthy habits are:
o going to bed early but not immediately after dinner.
o bowel clearing daily morning
o tobacco, alcohol, stimulants and sedatives should be avoided.
o rooms should be well ventilated for fresh air and sunlight.

Structured / Application / Skill Type

Question 1

The figure given below represents an organism. Study the same and answer the following
question:

(a) Identify the organism and write its scientific name.

(b) Is it a causative agent of any disease? If yes, name the disease.

(c) Label the guidelines 1, 2 and 3.

(d) Is it a unicellular or a multicellular organism ? Mention the specific category of organisms

to which it belongs.
(e) Write one important function of the part numbered 1.

Answer

(a) The organism is amoeba. Its scientific name is Entamoeba histolytica.

(b) Yes, it is the causative agent of Amoebic dysentery.

(c) The labelled parts are :

 1 → Pseudopodium
 2 → Nucleus
 3 → Blood cell

(d) It is unicellular organism belonging to protozoan group of kingdom Protista.

(e) Pseudopodia helps in locomotion and ingestion (by formation of food vacuole).

Question 2

Mosquitoes have become a nuisance in the lives of people. Several steps are recommended to
destroy mosquitoes in different stages. One of the step is 'Biological control' in which a kind
of fish is introduced in the ponds, as shown below in the figure.
(a) What are the four stages in the life cycle of a mosquito ?

(b) Name the fish which selectively devours mosquito larvae.

(c) Give an example of insecticide (full form) which can be sprayed in ponds and marshy
places to kill the larval stages of mosquitoes.

Answer

(a) Egg, larva, pupa and adult.

(b) Gambusia

(c) DichloroDiphenylTrichloroethane (DDT)