Question

Which one of the following diseases is completely curable if detected early and treated properly?

• A. Hepatitis-B
• B. Gonorrhoea
• C. Genital herpes
• D. HIV

Hint:

Rule to remember for STIs:
$\bullet$ Incurable STIs: Hepatitis-B, Genital herpes, HIV.
$\bullet$ Curable STIs: Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Chlamydiasis, Trichomoniasis (if detected early).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or venereal diseases (VD) are infections transmitted through sexual contact. Bacterial STIs are generally curable with antibiotics, whereas certain viral STIs remain incurable.

Step 1: Analyzing Curable and Incurable STIs:
According to NCERT medical guidelines on reproductive health:
- Except for Hepatitis-B, Genital herpes, and HIV infections, other sexually transmitted diseases are completely curable if detected early and treated properly with appropriate therapeutics.
- Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Because it is bacterial, early detection allows effective treatment and complete eradication using antibiotics (such as cephalosporins/penicillins).

Step 2: Evaluating the Incurable Viral STIs:
- Hepatitis-B: Caused by Hepatitis B virus (HBV); cannot be completely cured once established in a chronic state.
- Genital herpes: Caused by Herpes simplex virus (HSV); resides latently in neural ganglia and remains non-curable.
- HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes AIDS; current antiretroviral therapy only prolongs life without providing a complete cure.

Step 3: Final Selection:
Gonorrhoea is completely curable when diagnosed early and treated appropriately.