Which of the following is NOT a way disease can be transmitted?

The correct identification of "Arthropod respiration" as not a method of disease transmission is based on the understanding of how pathogens are spread.

Diseases can be transmitted through various mechanisms, including mechanical and biological methods. Mechanical transmission occurs when a pathogen is carried on the outside of a vector, such as dirt or pests, and inadvertently transferred to a host. Biological transmission, on the other hand, involves a more complex interaction where the pathogen undergoes a part of its lifecycle within the vector before being transmitted to the host, often requiring specific interactions between the vector and the host.

The host-vector relationship describes the interactions between the vector and the host that can facilitate transmission but does not directly involve a respiratory mechanism.

In contrast, arthropod respiration involves the physiological process of breathing that does not contribute to the transmission of pathogens. While some arthropods, such as mosquitoes, play critical roles in disease spread, their respiration itself is not a mechanism of transmission. Understanding the various transmission pathways helps clarify how diseases propagate and the specific roles different organisms play in this process.