Infectious disease — AS & A Level Biology (9700) questions by topic
Pathogen biology, antibiotic resistance and vaccination programmes anchor this topic: explaining why TB is difficult to eliminate, interpreting an antibiotic-resistance growth experiment across four bacterial groups, and describing how antibodies target the malarial parasite. Explain, deduce and suggest lead the command words, and explain wants a named biological mechanism, such as antibody binding to non-self antigens, rather than a general disease-control comment.
This set has 49 real questions from 2023 to 2025 papers, worth 1 to 18 marks, so single-statement recall sits beside multi-part explanations of immune response and resistance. Practising with instant marking is valuable here, since describing antibodies as binding receptors rather than antigens, or naming vaccines as containing antibodies, is flagged immediately rather than repeated.
What examiners look for
- A common misconception describes antibodies as having receptors, or binding to receptors, rather than antigen-binding sites binding antigens.
- Vaccines are sometimes incorrectly described as containing antibodies, when they contain antigens.
- Weaker responses occasionally name the disease as 'human immunity virus', which is not credited.
- A recurring gap lists general factors limiting vaccination success rather than engaging with the specific scenario given in the question.
- Strong answers state that antibodies bind non-self antigens on the parasite surface, marking it for destruction by phagocytes, and use given data to identify the smallest or largest percentage change described.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
Which statements about an infectious disease may be correct? 1 It can be caused by a protoctist. 2 It can be transmitted by an insect vector. 3 It can be transmitted from mother…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statements explain why cholera has not been eradicated by vaccination? 1 There is limited availability of an affordable vaccine. 2 Protection takes several weeks to develop…
Answer this question and get it marked →Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to global health. Which statement describes a step that can be taken to reduce the impact of antibiotic resistance? A Antibiotics…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 12
A student made notes about two diseases: hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and Lyme disease. HFMD is caused by a viral pathogen and is transmitted in a variety of ways…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statements explain why antibiotics may not treat cholera successfully? 1 The infectious organism has developed resistance to the antibiotic. 2 Antibiotics cannot harm…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
A mutation in a gene for a penicillin-binding protein causes antibiotic resistance. Which statement correctly explains this? A Penicillin binds more tightly to the mutated…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which disease is caused by a eukaryotic pathogen? A AIDS B cholera C malaria D tuberculosis
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 14
Outbreaks of cholera commonly occur in camps set up after a natural disaster. Control measures to limit spread: 1 treating all drinking water supplies with a high concentration of…
Answer this question and get it marked →Tetracycline inhibits 70S ribosomes. Rifamycin inhibits prokaryotic RNA polymerase. Which antibiotics can be used to treat an infection caused by the influenza virus? penicillin…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 22
What is the name of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB)?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 23
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a species of bacterium that lives on human skin. Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium that can infect humans. S. epidermidis and S. aureus…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 24
A number of species in the genus Plasmodium are known to cause malaria in humans. State the type of organism that causes malaria.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 11
A scientist investigated the effect of an antibiotic on the treatment of cholera. 320 people with cholera were divided into two groups. One group was treated with the antibiotic…
Answer this question and get it marked →How does the antibiotic penicillin affect the metabolism of a bacterial cell?
Answer this question and get it marked →Scientists studied the multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in children caused by one type of bacteria between 2007 and 2015. The percentage of multidrug-resistant infections…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 12
Which disease does Mycobacterium bovis cause?
Answer this question and get it marked →An antibiotic inhibits the formation of cross-links between the molecules that form cell walls in bacteria. Which statements explain why bacteria are killed by the antibiotic? (1)…
Answer this question and get it marked →Scientists investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of an antibiotic on the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The scientists grew four groups of…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 13
Bacteria may be classified according to differences in cell wall structure. The differences are shown by using the Gram stain. The diagram shows part of a Gram-positive bacterium…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which facts relate to the disease TB or its pathogen? 1 Viruses change their antigens to a limited extent. 2 TB is caused by only one species of pathogen. 3 HIV/AIDS makes the…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 21
A class of students was studying the features of some human pathogens. One of the students constructed a flow chart to identify four different human pathogens, using information…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 22
Some people who are infected with HIV have HIV/AIDS. State the full term for HIV.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 11
Which structures or compounds are present in a typical cell that can be killed by penicillin? 1 circular DNA; 2 cytoplasmic DNA; 3 70S ribosomes; 4 peptidoglycan.
Answer this question and get it marked →Three statements about cholera and its transmission are listed. 1 The pathogen causes watery faeces. 2 Frequent air flight has led to mobile populations. 3 The pathogen is…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 12
Which statements are correct for penicillin? 1 It is harmful to prokaryotic cells. 2 It disrupts cell wall synthesis. 3 It becomes less effective with regular use.
Answer this question and get it marked →Which row is correct for the control or prevention methods for each disease? Row TB malaria cholera --- --- --- --- A vaccination chlorination of water vaccination B chlorination…
Answer this question and get it marked →Peptidoglycan is stained purple by the chemical crystal violet. Which cells would stain purple in the presence of crystal violet?
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 13
Which organisms have cell walls that can be affected by penicillin? 1 bacteria; 2 protoctists; 3 viruses.
Answer this question and get it marked →Each year, there are 462 000 deaths from malaria in children under 5 years old globally. Insecticide-treated nets could prevent 50% of malaria cases and reduce deaths of children…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 22
People who become infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk of developing HIV/AIDs, particularly if antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not available. In people…
Answer this question and get it marked →Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the protoctist, Plasmodium. As part of its lifecycle, Plasmodium infects human red blood cells. Researchers can compare haemoglobin from…
Answer this question and get it marked →February–March 2023, Paper 22
Tuberculosis (TB), influenza and polio are examples of infectious diseases. Explain what is meant by an infectious disease.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 11
The diagram shows some of the pathogens that cause disease in humans and some of the ways they are transmitted. Pathogens are listed as: 1 bacterium; 2 protoctist; 3 virus.…
Answer this question and get it marked →Some of the processes which result in the formation of a population of bacteria that are resistant to a new antibiotic are listed: 1 change in reproductive success of bacteria; 2…
Answer this question and get it marked →When bacteria are grown in a Petri dish containing discs with antibiotics, there will be zones of inhibition of bacterial growth. The diagram shows an antibiotic disc with a clear…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
The statements refer to the disease tuberculosis (TB). 1 The pathogen is not accessible to the immune system. 2 The bacterial pathogen reproduces slowly. 3 The pathogen is not…
Answer this question and get it marked →The average sizes of some pathogens are shown. pathogen average size /nm --- --- HIV particle 100 Mycobacterium tuberculosis 3000 Plasmodium 20000 Vibrio cholerae 1500 One type of…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
A student wrote four statements about cholera. Which statement is not correct? A It can be controlled by vaccination. B It is caused by bacteria spread by ingestion. C HIV/AIDS…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 23
The number of cases of tuberculosis (TB) is affected by many biological, social and economic factors. The number of reported cases of TB in the USA between 1980 and 2000 is shown…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 11
Which statement is correct? A Cholera is caused by the virus Vibrio cholerae. B Mosquitoes are pathogens that cause malaria. C Mycobacterium bovis only causes TB in humans. D…
Answer this question and get it marked →The graph shows changes in the antibiotic resistance of a species of bacterium between 2000 and 2016 in one country. Samples of bacteria were collected every year from 48…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 12
Which statement correctly describes infectious diseases? A They are diseases caused by environmental factors that are not passed from one person to another. B They are diseases…
Answer this question and get it marked →Organism X produces molecule Y, which blocks the activity of 70S ribosomes. An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of Y on bacterial cells. An agar plate with…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 13
Which statements correctly identify why it is difficult to eliminate TB? 1 Humans have limited access to clean water. 2 Humans can be infected but the pathogen can be inactive. 3…
Answer this question and get it marked →Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. What can help reduce the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria? 1 Use specific antibiotics instead of wide spectrum. 2 Use…
Answer this question and get it marked →The diagram shows one way of testing the effect of an antibiotic on bacteria. A disc of filter paper soaked in antibiotic is placed on nutrient agar containing bacteria; after 5…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 21
Some people who are infected with HIV develop HIV/AIDS. Fig. 4.1 shows the number of people that have been newly infected with HIV in 2018 across the world and the percentage…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 22
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium. In the majority of people, only the lungs are affected. In most cases, the transmission of TB from an infected…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 23
The malarial pathogen, Plasmodium falciparum, enters red blood cells after a person becomes infected. After some time, each cell of P. falciparum divides to form daughter cells.…
Answer this question and get it marked →Other AS & A Level Biology topics
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