B i o l o g y f o r C a m b r i d g e I G C S E ® 2 nd E d i t i o n

Unit 10 Diseases and immunity

PRACTICE QUESTIONS:
Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)
1 B lives in an organism and causes disease
2 A cholera
3 C stomach acid
4 D vaccination
5 C any substance that stimulates an immune response
6 D specific lymphocytes divide to produce cells that make antibodies
7 D injecting snake anti-venom with antibodies produced in a horse
8 D memory cells are present in the blood and lymph

Short Answer Questions

9 (a) pathogen ; [1]
(b) any two from
by a person who is a carrier of a disease ;
by contamination with (washing) water that contains microorganisms ;
by food handlers who do not wash their hands (thoroughly) ;
by contamination from other foods that are stored nearby / example, e.g. from uncooked
meat to cooked meat ;
by contamination from (named) kitchen utensils ;
food that is not cooked thoroughly to kill pathogens ;
food that is contaminated by animal wastes ; [2]
(c) stomach, secretes / produces, hydrochloric acid ;
bacteria are killed, by acid / in a low pH ; [2]
(d) phagocytes / white blood cells ;
ingest microorganisms ;
by phagocytosis ;
and, kill / digest, the bacteria ;
white blood cells produce antibodies ;
antibodies, help in the destruction of pathogens / stop the spread of pathogens through
the body / prevent pathogens entering cells ; [4]
(e) any four from
direct contact / a person touching an infected person / a person touching an object used by
an infected person ;
through the air ;
via an, animal / insect, vector ;
blood to blood contact ;
during sexual activity ; [4]

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 B i o l o g y f o r C a m b r i d g e I G C S E ® 2 nd E d i t i o n

10 (a) any six points from the following:

(i) personal hygiene: removes pathogens from the body ;
removes pathogens before they can, enter the body / cause disease ;
any example to illustrate ;
(ii) sewage treatment: microorganisms / pathogens, that are transmitted in water ;
are destroyed in sewage treatment plants ;
any example, e.g. cholera / typhoid, bacteria ;
(iii) proper waste disposal: microorganisms / pathogens, that could be transmitted by
vermin / rats / mice / flies / AW ;
e.g. pathogens transmitted in food ;
waste is buried in the ground where animals cannot reach them ; [6]
(b) vaccine contains, rubella (pathogen / virus) ;
white blood cells / lymphocytes, respond to presence of virus in the body ;
white blood cells / lymphocytes, produce antibodies ;
if a child is infected by rubella pathogens these lymphocytes respond very quickly to stop
the spread of bacteria / development of the disease ;
response involves producing antibodies quickly ; [3]
11 (a) the body has a very small number of lymphocytes that are specialised to respond to the
measles antigens ;
during the first week these lymphocytes were dividing ;
and becoming specialised to produce antibodies ; [3]
(b) the response is immediate ;
there is no time lag between the vaccination and the increase in concentration of
antibodies ;
the time lag for the first vaccination is about two weeks between the vaccination and the
first appearance of antibodies in the blood ;
the response produces a much higher concentration of antibodies ;
the concentration reaches 3–4 times as much as during the first response ; [4]
(c) there are memory cells ;
a large number of the lymphocytes specialised to produce antibodies to measles ;
(memory cells) recognise the measles antigens immediately ;
(memory cells) divide immediately ;
start, making / releasing, antibodies ; [4]
(d) further boosters, maintain / increase, protection against the disease ;
in case, no / few, memory cells were made in the first and second vaccinations ;
e.g. some children do not respond very well to the vaccine ; [2]

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 B i o l o g y f o r C a m b r i d g e I G C S E ® 2 nd E d i t i o n

12 (a) (i) Z ; [1]

(ii) Z has a shape complementary to the antigen-binding sites of the antibody ; [1]
(b) antibodies are specific to the antigens associated with different pathogens ;
as a result of a vaccination against one disease a person only has the ability to produce
antibodies quickly to that disease ;
these antibodies will not protect against other pathogens ;
e.g. an antibody against Z will not attach to any of the other antigens (W, X, Y) ; [4]
(c) vaccinations are given to as many people as possible in the country ;
if the disease arises in the country ;
e.g. because someone with a disease enters a country ;
the disease will not spread as most people are immune ;
if the pathogen enters people who are immune it is destroyed before it causes symptoms ;
people who are immune do not transmit the pathogen to others ;
if there are no cases of a disease for a certain period of time then it has been eradicated ; [3]
(d) people can still bring the disease into a country ;
travellers returning home ;
immigrants / tourists, from other countries where a disease still exists ;
if people are not vaccinated there is a risk that there will be an epidemic ; [3]
13 (a) four marks for (i) and (ii) combined
(i) lymphatic vessels transport lymph from tissues into the blood ;
lymph flows through lymph nodes ;
vessels have valves to, stop backflow / ensure one way flow ;
(ii) lymph nodes contain lymphocytes ;
lymphocytes divide to make more cells during an infection ;
lymphocytes make antibodies ; [4]
(b) phagocytes ingest bacteria ;
digest / destroy, bacteria ;
lymphocytes make antibodies ;
antibodies, agglutinate bacteria / clump bacteria together ;
antibodies dissolve cell membranes of bacteria ;
antibodies / antitoxins, neutralise toxins released by bacteria ;
antibodies prevent pathogens entering host cells ; [5]

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