Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

Which disease has transitioned from being rare to widespread globally?

1. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

2. Smallpox

3. Malaria

4. Measles

The correct answer is: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the correct answer because it initially emerged in the late 20th century and quickly spread across the globe, becoming a significant public health crisis. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, was identified in the early 1980s, and over the following decades, the disease developed from being relatively unknown to one affecting millions of people worldwide. The epidemic's rapid spread was facilitated by various factors, including increased international travel, social behaviors, and healthcare access disparities. In contrast, smallpox has been eradicated since 1980 due to a successful global vaccination campaign, which means it cannot transition to being widespread again. Malaria has always been present in certain regions but has not spread globally in the same way; it remains endemic in specific areas rather than transitioning from rare to widespread on a global scale. Measles, while it can have outbreaks, has not shifted from being rare to widespread in a similarly dramatic fashion as AIDS, particularly since vaccination efforts have significantly reduced the incidence in many parts of the world.