Question

Which one of the following is NOT a characteristic of non-communicable disease?

• A. Well-defined etiological agent
• B. Multifactorial causation
• C. Long latent period
• D. Variable onset

Hint:

NCDs arise from many factors together, not one single fixed agent.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Set the two disease families side by side.
Communicable diseases spread from a single germ. Non-communicable diseases, like heart disease or diabetes, build up from many causes acting together.

Step 2: Test each option against NCDs.
Multifactorial causation fits NCDs well, since diet, genes, stress and habits all add up. A long gap between exposure and disease also fits, think of decades of smoking before cancer shows up. Onset can be slow or sudden in NCDs, so variable onset fits too.

Step 3: Spot the mismatch.
A single, well-defined agent is the signature of an infection, like a specific bacterium causing a specific disease. NCDs do not have that one fixed cause.

Step 4: Conclude.
\[ \boxed{\text{Well-defined etiological agent}} \]