11 mark
How are the following diseases transmitted?Â
| Â | Malaria | Cholera | HIV/AIDS |
| A | body fluid | air | water |
| B | insect | water | body fluid |
| C | air | body fluid | insect |
| D | water | body fluid | air |
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Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2023
First exams 2025
|
Infectious Diseases (CIE A Level Biology)
Exam Questions
2 hours41 questions
21 mark
Which of the following statements describe why people in Europe can suffer from both malaria and tuberculosis, but only tuberculosis is transmitted there?
Tuberculosis bacteria cannot survive in subtropical and tropical areas.
Antibiotics can only be used to cure people with tuberculosis.
Migrant workers can carry the disease with them.
Anopheles mosquitos only breed in sub-tropical and tropical areas.
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31 mark
The diagram shows different features of disease.
Which area refers to common properties of both tuberculosis and cholera?
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41 mark
Which row in the table shows the features of the organisms that cause HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB have in common?
| Â |
they have a cell surface membrane |
they have ribosomes |
they have genes |
they respire |
|
A |
X |
X |
✓ |
X |
|
B |
X |
X |
✓ |
✓ |
|
C |
✓ |
X |
X |
✓ |
|
D |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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51 mark
Which row shows the causative agent and the transmission method of cholera?
| Â | causative agent | transmission method |
| A | virus | air-borne |
| B | virus | water-borne |
| C | bacterium | air-borne |
| D | bacterium | water-borne |
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61 mark
Over 40% of the world’s population live in areas where they are at risk of malaria infection. The number of cases of malaria in Africa in particular has increased in recent years.
Which of these social factors is increasing the spread of malaria?Â
migration of people due to war
an increase in drug-resistant forms of malaria
no financially viable vaccine available
climate change
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71 mark
Why are refugee camps likely to see outbreaks of cholera infections?
There is a shortage of food and water.
There is a shortage of antibiotics.
Drinking water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.
People live in close contact, increasing the risk of droplet infection.
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81 mark
Which disease is most likely to be transmitted during pregnancy or birth?
Cholera
Obesity
Tuberculosis
HIV/AIDS
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91 mark
Which of the diseases, in the list below, is transmitted by an insect vector?
Cholera
HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis
Malaria
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101 mark
The following lists some possible methods of transmission of HIV:
|
1 |
blood transfusion |
|
2 |
drinking water |
|
3 |
vector |
|
4 |
intravenous needles |
|
5 |
across the placenta |
|
6 |
undercooked meat |
Which statements are correct?
1, 4 and 5
1,3 and 4
3, 4 and 5
1, 4 and 6
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11 mark
The table below shows some statements about diseases.Â
|
Statements |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
formation of tumours |
✓ |
 |  |
✓ |
|
caused by virus |
 |
✓ |
 |  |
|
can be treated with antibiotics |
 |  |
✓ |
✓ |
|
infectious disease |
 |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
key: ✓ = true
Match the 4 names diseases below to the statements above.Â
Which row gives the correct name for each disease?
| Â | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|
A B C D |
bronchitis sickle cell anaemia lung cancer lung cancer |
measles measles HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS |
TB cholera cholera measles |
smallpox lung cancer TB lung cancer |
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21 mark
Improvements in the supply of clean water, sewage treatment, insect control and a milk pasteurisation programme have all been undertaken in a village.
Which of these diseases that are present in the village will not be controlled by these actions?
cholera
HIV/AIDS
tuberculosis
Malaria
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31 mark
These are all methods of infectious disease transmission
Which row correctly matches the organism with the mode of transmission of each of the diseases?
| Â | Malaria | TB | HIV |
| A | bacterium, 3 | protoctist, 1 | bacterium, 1 and 3 |
| B | protoctist, 3 | virus, 1 | bacterium, 3 |
| C | protoctist, 1 | bacterium, 3 and 4 | virus, 2 |
| D | bacterium, 1 | virus, 3 and 2 | virus, 2 and 4 |
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41 mark
The following statements are about people infected with HIV/AIDS.
Which ones are correct?
1 only
1 and 2
1 and 3
3 only
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51 mark
After visiting a foreign country, a traveller starts to have fevers at regular intervals. They have blood tests during the fevers, these show a decrease in erythrocytes (anaemia).
Which disease does this person have?
cholera
HIV/AIDS
tuberculosis
Malaria
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61 mark
Which row shows the causative agent, the transmission method and method of control of each disease?
| Â | Disease | Causative agent | Transmission method | Method of control |
| A | TB | bacterium | air-borne | vaccination |
| B | malaria | bacterium | insect vector | antimalarial drugs |
| C | cholera | virus | waterborne | oral rehydration therapy (ORT) |
| D | HIV/AIDS | virus | intimate contact | antibiotics |
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71 mark
Avian bird flu is caused by the H5N1 virus. Between 2021 and 2023 there have been 11 confirmed cases of H5N1 in humans. Whilst these numbers are low, there are concerns about the possibility of H5N1 causing a global pandemic.
Which of these measures is a suitable method to help prevent the spread of disease between humans?
Which ones are correct?
1 and 2
3 and 4
1 and 3
1 and 4
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81 mark
One of the most effective methods for preventing and controlling some diseases is tracking and tracing people who have been in contact with infected people.
Which of these diseases would this be the most effective method for?
Sickle cell anaemia, as it is genetically inherited, so there is time to act before more individuals are affected
Malaria, as it is transmitted by animals, so the transmission cycle of the pathogen can be broken.
Cholera, as it can be treated successfully with carefully selected antibiotics.
Measles, as it can cause an epidemic and can be controlled by other methods.
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91 mark
Which of the statements below provides an explanation for an increase in the spread of malaria?
1 and 2
1 and 3
2 and 3
1, 2 and 3
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101 mark
Which of the following is the best definition for non-infectious disease?
all diseases of old age
diseases caused by malnutrition
all diseases that are not caused by a pathogen
all diseases that can be transmitted from mother to child
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11 mark
The graph below shows the effect of HIV on the T cells in the blood of an individual.
Using the information in the graph and your own knowledge. Which of the following statements is true?
A decrease in Helper T cells results in an increase in HIV RNA
HIV sufferers are unlikely to live beyond 2 years of contracting HIV
A decrease in killer T cells results in a decrease of antibodies in the blood
The immune system is unable to activate B cells, this leads to the onset of AIDS in patients
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21 mark
Some statements about infectious diseases are given below:
|
1 |
It can be transmitted by an insect vector. |
|
2 |
It is endemic in sub-tropical regions. |
|
3 |
It can be passed from mother to child. |
Which of the statements above apply to both malaria and HIV?
| Â |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
A |
X |
✓ |
X |
|
B |
X |
✓ |
✓ |
|
C |
✓ |
X |
X |
|
D |
X |
X |
✓ |
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31 mark
The diagram shows some human diseases and the methods of their transmission.
What is the correct pathogen and method of transmission for cholera?
1 and R
1 and S
3 and R
2 and R
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41 mark
The table shows information about malaria, measles, HIV/AIDS and cholera.
Which is the correct row for each disease?
| Â | Measles | Malaria | HIV/AIDS | Cholera |
| A | No effective vaccine available | Mainly kills children under 5 | Causes a reduction in the number of T-lymphocytes | Can be caught by swimming in contaminated water |
| B | Symptoms usually include a rash | Causative agent is a eukaryote | Caused by a retrovirus | Airborne infection |
| C | Can cause blindness | Carried by male Anopheles mosquitos | May be carried by a vector | Eating raw shellfish can be a source of infection |
| D | Caused by a virus | Eradication programme unsuccessful | Can be transmitted in breast milk and across the placenta | Caused by a bacterium |
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51 mark
Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters the liver cells of the infected individual where it can lay dormant over long periods of time.Â
Which of the following statements is not likely to be true in patients suffering from malaria?
Dizziness due to poor regulation of blood sugar.
Muscle aches and pains due to poor oxygen supply.
A compromised immune system due to reduced T-lymphocyte numbers.
Anaemia due to loss of red blood cells.
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61 mark
After visiting a foreign country, a traveller starts to have fevers at regular intervals. They have blood tests during these fevers, these show a decrease in erythrocytes (anaemia).
Which of the following pathogens may have possibly infected the traveller?
Plasmodium vivax
Variola
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Morbillivirus
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71 mark
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reproduces inside cells in the body.
Which of the following explains why HIV patients may develop flu-like symptoms?
It infects the red blood cells so patients lack the energy required for immune system function.
It infects the bone marrow so white blood cells cannot be produced.
It infects the plasma cells so antibodies cannot be produced.
It infects the T-lymphocytes so the next stage of the immune response cannot occur.
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81 mark
Which of the following are the most effective control measures for malaria in developing countries?
Spraying all breeding sites with biological control measures such as Bacillus thuringiensis.
Using nets soaked in insecticide to sleep under.
Using vaccines for all communities.
Using oil on the surface of standing water to make it impossible for mosquito larvae pupae to breathe.
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91 mark
Tuberculosis (TB) has an annual incidence of 8.6 million people with a mortality rate of 1.3 million worldwide.
What is the main issue that faces the World Health Organisation (WHO) when trying to control the transmission of TB?
TB is easily transferred from cattle to humans.
TB is developing resistance to multiple drugs.
The TB vaccine, BCG protects 70 – 80% of people who receive it.
Diagnosis can take up to two weeks.
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101 mark
One of the pathogens listed below is transmitted by an insect vector.
Which disease has an insect vector?
Variola
Plasmodium vivax
Morbillivirus
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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