Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Passive or indirect transmission occurs when infectious agents are transmitted without direct contact with an infected individual. In this case, hepatitis A being present in contaminated food exemplifies passive transmission. The virus can survive on surfaces or within food substances and can be ingested without the consumer coming into contact with the source of infection directly. It highlights how pathogens can be transmitted through inanimate objects or food items rather than through physical contact with an infected person or vector.

The other options involve direct mechanisms of transmission. For instance, influenza spread through respiratory droplets represents a direct mode where airborne droplets are inhaled. Direct contact with an infected person clearly indicates a transmission route that necessitates physical interaction. Vector-borne disease transmission, such as that involving mosquitoes, also does not fit into the category of indirect transmission through environmental objects or food but rather through living carriers, demonstrating a different mechanism of pathogen dissemination.