Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

|

Infectious Diseases (CIE AS Biology)

Exam Questions

2 hours41 questions
11 mark

How are the following diseases transmitted? 

  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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    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.

    screenshot-2023-05-14-144545

    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?

       

      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?

          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? 

          • 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. 

          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. 

          Which row gives the correct name for each disease?

            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

            1 vector
            2 contact
            3 food
            4 droplet

            Which row correctly matches the organism with the mode of transmission of each of the diseases?

              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.

              1 They will have symptoms
              2 They can be treated and completely cured
              3 They may live for many years after infection

              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?

                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?

              1 reducing the number of flights
              2 killing all birds
              3 taking a course of antibiotics
              4 putting infected individuals in quarantine


              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 increasing resistance to antibiotics and other drugs
              2 continued migration of people due to war and civil unrest
              3 increasing carbon dioxide levels causing global warming

              • 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.hiv-effect-on-the-immune-system-sq

              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?

               

              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.

                q23-cie-10-1-ed

                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?

                  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. 

                  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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