UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Qdenga: a step forward against dengue, but not a silver bullet
Q1. The regulatory clearance permitting the use of the Qdenga (TAK-003) dengue vaccine in India was granted on the recommendation of which one of the following bodies?
- A. The Subject Expert Committee under the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)
- B. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI)
- C. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- D. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
Q2. With reference to the Indian regulatory approval of the Qdenga (TAK-003) dengue vaccine, consider the following statements:
1. It is the first dengue vaccine to receive Indian regulatory clearance.
2. Its Indian approval covers persons aged 4–60 years.
3. Indian approval, like the WHO recommendation, restricts use to the 6–16 years age band.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is the first dengue vaccine to receive Indian regulatory clearance.
- Its Indian approval covers persons aged 4–60 years.
- Indian approval, like the WHO recommendation, restricts use to the 6–16 years age band.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. With reference to the dengue virus and the design of the Qdenga (TAK-003) vaccine, consider the following statements:
1. Qdenga uses an attenuated DENV-2 strain as its genetic backbone.
2. Its DENV-1, DENV-3 and DENV-4 components are recombinant strains carrying their prM and envelope genes on the DENV-2 backbone.
3. The dengue virus has four antigenically distinct serotypes.
4. The risk of antibody-dependent enhancement is best avoided by using a monovalent dengue vaccine.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Qdenga uses an attenuated DENV-2 strain as its genetic backbone.
- Its DENV-1, DENV-3 and DENV-4 components are recombinant strains carrying their prM and envelope genes on the DENV-2 backbone.
- The dengue virus has four antigenically distinct serotypes.
- The risk of antibody-dependent enhancement is best avoided by using a monovalent dengue vaccine.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 4 only
Q4. In the Qdenga (TAK-003) tetravalent vaccine, which one of the following dengue serotypes provides the attenuated genetic backbone onto which the other components are engineered?
- A. DENV-2
- B. DENV-1
- C. DENV-3
- D. DENV-4
Q5. With reference to the WHO's position on the Qdenga (TAK-003) dengue vaccine, consider the following statements:
1. WHO prequalification of Qdenga in May 2024 made it the second dengue vaccine to be WHO-prequalified.
2. WHO recommends Qdenga for children aged 6–16 years in high dengue-transmission settings.
3. WHO prescribes a single-dose schedule for Qdenga.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- WHO prequalification of Qdenga in May 2024 made it the second dengue vaccine to be WHO-prequalified.
- WHO recommends Qdenga for children aged 6–16 years in high dengue-transmission settings.
- WHO prescribes a single-dose schedule for Qdenga.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. WHO's recommendation on the use of the Qdenga (TAK-003) dengue vaccine in immunization programmes is primarily issued on the advice of which one of the following WHO bodies?
- A. Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE)
- B. Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS)
- C. GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance
- D. Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN)
Q7. With reference to the Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV) dengue vaccine, consider the following statements:
1. It was the world's first licensed dengue vaccine, developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
2. WHO/SAGE advised that it be administered only to dengue-seropositive individuals after pre-vaccination screening.
3. In the Philippines it was administered to over 830,000 children only after individual serostatus testing.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It was the world's first licensed dengue vaccine, developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
- WHO/SAGE advised that it be administered only to dengue-seropositive individuals after pre-vaccination screening.
- In the Philippines it was administered to over 830,000 children only after individual serostatus testing.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q8. Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV), the world's first licensed dengue vaccine that was at the centre of the Philippines safety controversy, was developed by which one of the following manufacturers?
- A. Sanofi Pasteur
- B. Takeda
- C. Panacea Biotec
- D. GlaxoSmithKline
Q9. With reference to the global burden and transmission of dengue, consider the following statements:
1. Dengue is classified by WHO as a neglected tropical disease.
2. An estimated 100–400 million dengue infections occur globally each year.
3. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue.
4. Dengue is transmitted primarily by male Anopheles mosquitoes.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Dengue is classified by WHO as a neglected tropical disease.
- An estimated 100–400 million dengue infections occur globally each year.
- Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue.
- Dengue is transmitted primarily by male Anopheles mosquitoes.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 3 only
- D. 4 only
Q10. With reference to India's institutional framework for dengue control, consider the following statements:
1. The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) addresses dengue along with malaria and chikungunya.
2. Integrated Vector Management is a strategy advocated by both the WHO and the NVBDCP.
3. The NVBDCP is administered under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) addresses dengue along with malaria and chikungunya.
- Integrated Vector Management is a strategy advocated by both the WHO and the NVBDCP.
- The NVBDCP is administered under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. With reference to the drug regulatory architecture that approves new vaccines in India, consider the following statements:
1. The CDSCO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
2. Subject Expert Committees advise on the approval of new drugs and clinical trials.
3. Subject Expert Committees were earlier known as New Drug Advisory Committees.
4. The Drugs Controller General of India functions under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The CDSCO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Subject Expert Committees advise on the approval of new drugs and clinical trials.
- Subject Expert Committees were earlier known as New Drug Advisory Committees.
- The Drugs Controller General of India functions under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 3 only
- D. 4 only
Q12. In the context of controlling vector-borne diseases such as dengue, the 'One Health' approach is best described as which one of the following?
- A. An integrated, multisectoral approach recognising the interconnection between the health of people, animals, plants and their shared environment
- B. A programme providing a single universal health-insurance cover for all dengue-related hospitalisations
- C. A strategy of vaccinating an entire population with one dose of a single vaccine to achieve herd immunity
- D. A surveillance network that pools dengue case data from one designated sentinel hospital per state