Which disease results from contact with urine of infected rodents?

• A. Leptospirosis
• B. Tularemia
• C. Plague
• D. Scrub typhus

Answer: (A)

The key idea is transmission of leptospirosis through contact with urine-contaminated water or soil. The Leptospira bacteria can survive in the environment after being shed in the urine of infected rodents, especially rats. When skin is broken or mucous membranes (like the eyes) come into contact with this contaminated water or soil, the bacteria can enter the body and cause infection. This route of exposure is classic for leptospirosis, and it can lead to a range of illness from mild flu-like symptoms to severe forms such as Weil disease, which involves jaundice and kidney failure.

Other diseases listed involve different transmission routes. Tularemia generally spreads through direct contact with infected animals or via vectors like ticks or contaminated aerosols, not through urine. Plague is mainly transmitted by fleas that have bitten infected rodents, though pneumonic plague can spread person-to-person by respiratory droplets. Scrub typhus comes from mite (chigger) bites in certain geographic areas, not from contact with urine.