Current Affairs Quiz 21 December 2023

Answer: D

Ans;- A

What is the lumpy skin disease?
• Lumpy skin disease is caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), which belongs to the genus capripoxvirus, a part of the poxviridae family (smallpox and monkeypox viruses are also a part of the same family).
• The LSDV shares antigenic similarities with the sheeppox virus (SPPV) and the goatpox virus (GTPV) or is similar in the immune response to those viruses.
• It is not a zoonotic virus, meaning the disease cannot spread to humans.

How does it spread?
• It is a contagious vector-borne disease spread by vectors like mosquitoes, some biting flies, and ticks and usually affects host animals like cows and water buffaloes.
• According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), infected animals shed the virus through oral and nasal secretions which may contaminate common feeding and water troughs.
○ Thus, the disease can either spread through direct contact with the vectors or through contaminated fodder and water. Studies have also shown that it can spread through animal semen during artificial insemination.

Symptoms:
• LSD affects the lymph nodes of the infected animal, causing the nodes to enlarge and appear like lumps on the skin, which is where it derives its name from.
• The cutaneous nodules, 2–5 cm in diameter, appear on the infected cattle’s head, neck, limbs, udder, genitalia, and perineum.
• The nodules may later turn into ulcers and eventually develop scabs over the skin.
• The other symptoms include high fever, sharp drop in milk yield, discharge from the eyes and nose, salivation, loss of appetite, depression, damaged hides, emaciation (thinness or weakness) of animals, infertility and abortions.
• The incubation period or the time between infection and symptoms is about 28 days according to the FAO, and 4 to 14 days according to some other estimates.
• The morbidity of the disease varies between two to 45% and mortality or rate of date is less than 10%, however, the reported mortality of the current outbreak in India is up to 15%, particularly in cases being reported in the western part (Rajasthan) of the country.

Ans;- b

About National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
• National Overseas Scholarship Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme to facilitate the low income students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans category to obtain higher education by studying abroad.
• The Scheme provides financial assistance to the selected candidates for pursuing Masters level courses and Ph.D. courses abroad in the Institutions/Universities accredited by the Government/an authorized body of that country in any fields of study.
• In each Selection Year, 125 fresh awards, subject to availability of funds, will be given under the Scheme.
• Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is the implementing agency.

Ans: (a)

Ans: (a)