AQA GCSE Biology (triple)

Topic 3 Infection
& response
Model answer notes by @biologywitholivia

Topic Sub-topic Understand Memorise Practise

3.1 3.1.1 Communicable diseases

Communicable
diseases 3.1.2 Viral diseases

3.1.3 Bacterial diseases

3.1.4 Fungal diseases

3.1.5 Protist diseases

3.1.6 Human defence systems

3.1.7 Vaccination

3.1.8 Antibiotics & painkillers

3.1.9 Discovery & development of drugs

3.2 3.2.1 Producing monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal
antibodies 3.2.2 Uses of monoclonal antibodies

3.3 3.3.1 Detection & identification of plant diseases

Plant disease
3.3.2 Plant defence responses
AQA GCSE Biology Topic 3 Infection and response FREE SAMPLE biologywitholivia.co.uk

3.1 Communicable disease

3.1.1 Communicable (infectious) diseases
What are pathogens?

● Microorganisms that cause infectious disease Pathogens may infect

● Examples - bacteria, viruses, protists or fungi plants or animals.

How do bacteria and viruses make us feel ill?

Bacteria Viruses

● Reproduce rapidly inside the body ● Live and replicate rapidly inside cells
● Produce toxins (poisons) that damage cells ● Causing cell damage eg. cell bursts

How can pathogens be spread?

Depends on the specific pathogen, but 3 broad ways:

1. By direct contact eg. contact with contaminated surfaces / skin

2. By water eg. by drinking / cooking with / bathing in
3. By air eg. inhaling droplets from sneezes / coughs

How can the spread of diseases be reduced or prevented?

There are many different ways and these will again depend on the specific pathogen. Examples:

● Hygiene - eg. regular hand washing before preparing food, disinfecting surfaces
● Vaccination - to provide immunity
● Isolation - reduces contact with healthy people
● Destroy vectors (organisms that transport the pathogen) eg. using insecticides (kills insects)

Exam insight: common misconceptions ❌

Misconception Why is this wrong?

“All microorganisms are Not all microorganisms are pathogens as not all cause disease. Many
pathogens / bad.” bacteria live in your body, eg. in your gut, and are important for health.

“Viruses are cells.” Viruses are not cells. They live inside your cells and ‘hijack’ cell machinery to
replicate themselves.

“A pathogen is a disease.” A pathogen is a microorganism that causes disease.

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AQA GCSE Biology Topic 3 Infection and response FREE SAMPLE biologywitholivia.co.uk

Example application questions

On aeroplanes, pathogens can easily spread ● Through air / coughs / sneezes

from one person to another. Suggest one way this ● Touch of same surfaces / skin
happens. (1)

A fungus causes an infection called athlete’s foot. ● Person with fungus walks barefoot (somewhere
The fungus infects the skin and grows in moist, damp) / fungus left on shower floor
warm conditions. Describe how athlete's foot can ● Skin / foot of another person comes into contact
be transmitted from one person to another. (2) with surface with fungus on

A virus called RSV causes severe respiratory ● Regular hand washing / use hand sanitiser
disease. Suggest two precautions that a person ● Cover nose / mouth when coughing / sneezing /
with RSV could take to reduce the spread of the wear a face mask
virus to other people. (2) ● Clean / disinfect / sterilise surfaces regularly

3.1.2 Viral diseases

Viral diseases: measles, HIV and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)

Disease Measles HIV Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)

Symptoms ● Fever ● Initially a flu-like illness ● ‘Mosaic’ pattern of

● Red skin rash ● Often no symptoms for years discolouration on leaves
● If AIDS develops - recurrent ● Restricted growth due to
infections + longer recovery lack of photosynthesis

How is it Inhalation of ● Sexual contact Direct contact between

spread? droplets from ● Exchange of body fluids eg. diseased / healthy plants.
sneezes / coughs blood when drug users share
from infected people. needles

How can ● Most young ● Antiretroviral drugs control ● Remove infected plants /
spread be children HIV (to stop AIDS developing) leaves
reduced or vaccinated ● Avoid sexual intercourse / ● Wash tools in
prevented? against measles use a condom disinfectant after using
● Isolation ● Do not share needles on infected plant

Other ● A serious illness ● HIV attacks immune cells ● A widespread plant

info ● Can be fatal if ● AIDS (late stage HIV infection) pathogen
complications - immune system becomes ● Affects many species of
arise eg. so badly damaged that it can plants including
pneumonia no longer deal with other tomatoes
infections / cancer

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AQA GCSE Biology Topic 3 Infection and response FREE SAMPLE biologywitholivia.co.uk

Exam insight: common misconceptions

Misconception Why is this wrong?

“AIDS is a virus.” HIV is an infection caused by a virus whereas AIDS is the consequences in the
body from HIV infection.

“HIV always leads to HIV can be controlled with antiretroviral drugs. These stop HIV replicating, so the
AIDS.” immune system doesn’t get so damaged that AIDS develops. These drugs do not
eliminate HIV completely though, so are not considered a cure.

“Viral diseases can be Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.

treated with antibiotics.”

Example application questions 📈

Explain why TMV causes
restricted growth in plants.
(4)
● Less chlorophyll so less photosynthesis
● So less glucose produced
● So less energy released for growth as glucose is needed for respiration
● Less proteins / cellulose for growth as glucose needed for making
these

Explain why antibiotics do not ● Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria / do not kill viruses
cure HIV / measles / TMV. (1)

Suggest reasons for the ● Better education (into prevention of spread of HIV)
decrease in the number of ● Condoms more widely available / easier to source / cheaper
new HIV cases in recent ● New / better drugs / antiretrovirals to prevent HIV spread
years. (2) ● Better / more testing / identification of people with HIV

3.1.3 Bacterial diseases

Bacterial diseases: Salmonella food poisoning and gonorrhoea

Disease Salmonella food poisoning Gonorrhoea

Symptoms ● Fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting & ● Thick yellow / green discharge
diarrhoea from vagina or penis
● Due to toxins (poisons) secreted by bacteria ● Pain on urinating

How is it ● Bacteria ingested in food (eg. chicken) ● Sexually transmitted disease (STD)
spread? ● Or on food prepared in unhygienic conditions so spread by sexual contact

How can ● Poultry eg. chickens vaccinated ● Antibiotics → was easily treated
spread be ○ So fewer bacteria in chicken / eggs with penicillin until many resistant
reduced or ○ So fewer bacteria ingested by humans strains of gonorrhoea appeared
prevented? ● Wash hands before preparing food / disinfect ● Use of barrier methods of
surfaces contraception eg. condoms

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AQA GCSE Biology Topic 3 Infection and response FREE SAMPLE biologywitholivia.co.uk

Exam insight: common misconceptions

Misconception Why is this wrong?

“Humans are vaccinated against Salmonella.” Poultry are vaccinated, not humans.

“Chickens get Salmonella food poisoning.” Chickens can carry the Salmonella bacteria, but it only
causes food poisoning (the disease) in humans.

Example application questions 📈

Suggest why the number of cases of Salmonella ● Warmer weather so bacteria reproduce faster
food poisoning is usually higher in summer than ● Food not cooked properly on barbeques
in winter. (1)

Other than vaccination, suggest how farmers ● Give chickens antibiotics

could prevent the transmission of Salmonella ● Don’t sell infected chickens / eggs
from chickens to humans. (2) ● Keep infected chickens isolated
● Slaughter infected chickens

Suggest reasons why the number of cases of ● Improved hygiene for food preparation
Salmonella food poisoning has decreased. (2) ● Vaccination of poultry