Etiological hazards are associated with hazards arising from what source?

• A. Environmental conditions
• B. Physical injuries
• C. Biological causes
• D. Chemical toxins

Answer: (C)

Etiological hazards are hazards that come from biological causes. The term etiology refers to the cause of disease or health effects, so etiological hazards are linked to living organisms or the toxic products they produce—such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and the toxins these organisms generate. This distinguishes them from environmental conditions (which influence exposure risk but aren’t the source), physical injuries (caused by physical or mechanical energy), or chemical toxins (hazards from chemical substances). In short, the source of etiological hazards is biological.