Communicable diseases: AQA GCSE Combined Science questions

Every AQA GCSE Combined Science exam question on 4.3.1 Communicable diseases, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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3,069 questions

Q02.1
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.2
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.3
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.4
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
3 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.5
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
6 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q06.2
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.1.1 Cell structure 4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.8
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q02.9
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases 4.4.1 Photosynthesis
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Q06.1
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q06.2
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q06.3
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q06.4
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q06.5
June 2025 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
6 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q03.1
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q03.2
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q03.3
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
4 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q03.4
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q03.5
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Higher
3 marks4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q04.1
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases
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Q04.2
June 2024 · Biology Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.3.1 Communicable diseases 4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems
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All 101 questions on Communicable diseases, as a list

June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.1 (1 mark): One symptom of chickenpox is small blisters on the skin. Suggest one way chickenpox spreads from an infected person to other people. [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.2 (1 mark): Chickenpox is caused by a type of pathogen that cannot be treated with antibiotics. Give the reason why chickenpox cannot be treated with antibiotics. [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.3 (1 mark): What does a vaccine contain that causes a person to become immune to a disease? [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.4 (3 marks): Give three reasons why a new vaccine must be tested. [3 marks] 1 2 3
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.5 (6 marks): Explain how a vaccine for chickenpox gives immunity against the disease. You should refer to how the body responds to: • the vaccine • chickenpox pathogens that
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.2 (1 mark): Describe the function of ciliated cells in the oviduct. [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.8 (1 mark): How could the fungal infection be removed from the tree? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Destroy the affected leaves. Spray the affected leaves with antibiotics. Use
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.9 (3 marks): Infection with apple scab fungus decreases the number of chloroplasts in the leaves. Explain why apple trees with apple scab fungus produce smaller apples than
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.1 (1 mark): One symptom of chickenpox is small blisters on the skin. Suggest one way chickenpox spreads from an infected person to other people. [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.2 (1 mark): Chickenpox is caused by a type of pathogen that cannot be treated with antibiotics. Give the reason why chickenpox cannot be treated with antibiotics. [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.3 (1 mark): What does a vaccine contain that causes a person to become immune to a disease? [1 mark]
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.4 (3 marks): Give three reasons why a new vaccine must be tested. [3 marks] 1 2 3
June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.5 (6 marks): Explain how a vaccine for chickenpox gives immunity against the disease. You should refer to how the body responds to: • the vaccine • chickenpox pathogens that
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q03.1 (1 mark): What type of microorganism causes measles? [1 mark]
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q03.2 (2 marks): Suggest two ways the spread of measles can be reduced. Do not refer to vaccination in your answer. [2 marks] 1 2
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q03.3 (4 marks): Describe how the measles vaccine helps a person to become immune to the measles pathogen. [4 marks]
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q03.4 (2 marks): Explain how viruses cause illness. [2 marks]
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q03.5 (3 marks): Drugs can help to reduce the symptoms of the norovirus infection. New drugs must go through clinical trials before being licensed for use. Give three reasons wh
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (1 mark): Which is a symptom of gonorrhoea? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Damaged immune system Pain when urinating Reduced body temperature Table 2 shows the number of repo
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.2 (1 mark): The number of cases of gonorrhoea in each city might not be accurate. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.3 (1 mark): Which is the best way to present the data from Table 2? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Bar chart Line graph Scatter diagram
June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.4 (1 mark): The data is given as per 100 000 of the population and not as the total number of people with gonorrhoea. Suggest why. [1 mark]
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.7 (2 marks): Measles is a communicable disease. A virus causes measles. Describe how the measles virus is transferred from person to person. [2 marks]
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.8 (2 marks): Scientists estimate that 17% of the UK population have athlete’s foot. The estimated UK population is 67 961 900 Calculate how many people are estimated to have
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.9 (1 mark): Athlete’s foot fungus grows in moist conditions. Suggest one way a person could reduce their chance of catching athlete’s foot. [1 mark]
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q07.2 (2 marks): The scientist concluded: ‘S. aureus is resistant to antibiotics C and E’. Explain the evidence for this conclusion. Use Figure 9. [2 marks]
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q07.3 (2 marks): The scientist later discovered that S. aureus is not resistant to antibiotic E. Suggest how the method was developed and showed that S. aureus is not resistant
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q07.4 (1 mark): What was the independent variable in this investigation? [1 mark] Tick () one box. The ratio of area of infection : total tissue area The treatment injected ar
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q07.7 (1 mark): What is the range of results for the treatment with stem cells only? [1 mark] From to
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q07.8 (4 marks): A student looked at the results and concluded: ‘Injections of stem cells containing antibiotic should be used to treat all implant-related infections’. Evaluate
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.7 (2 marks): Measles is a communicable disease. A virus causes measles. Describe how the measles virus is transferred from person to person. [2 marks]
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.8 (2 marks): Scientists estimate that 17% of the UK population have athlete’s foot. The estimated UK population is 67 961 900 Calculate how many people are estimated to have
June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.9 (1 mark): Athlete’s foot fungus grows in moist conditions. Suggest one way a person could reduce their chance of catching athlete’s foot. [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.2 (1 mark): Salmonella food poisoning is caused by bacteria in food. Give one symptom of salmonella food poisoning. Do not refer to vomiting or diarrhoea in your answer. [1
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.3 (1 mark): What is the name of the first antibiotic developed? [1 mark] A child with a severe bacterial infection was given a course of antibiotics. Figure 1 shows how the
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.4 (1 mark): The concentration of live bacteria in the body continued to increase after starting the course of antibiotics. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.5 (1 mark): After 3 days of taking the antibiotic: • the child felt better • there were still bacteria in the child’s body. Why did the child feel better? [1 mark] Tick ()
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.6 (1 mark): Suggest why doctors do not give antibiotics to patients with minor infections. [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.7 (1 mark): A vaccine will stimulate the production of antibodies. Which part of the blood in Figure 2 produces antibodies? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A B C D
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.1 (1 mark): What type of pathogen causes rose black spot disease? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Bacterium Fungus Protist Virus
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.3 (2 marks): Explain why plants with yellow leaves grow slowly. [2 marks]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.4 (2 marks): The spread of rose black spot can be controlled using different methods. Draw one line from each method of control to the explanation of how it works. [2 marks]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.5 (1 mark): Tobacco plants may become infected with a pathogen called TMV. What type of pathogen is TMV? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Bacterium Fungus Protist Virus Malaria i
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.6 (1 mark): How is the malaria pathogen transferred to humans? [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.7 (1 mark): How can the spread of malaria pathogens be reduced? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Avoid sexual contact Cook food thoroughly Drain water from swamps Use a tissue wh
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.2 (1 mark): Salmonella food poisoning is caused by bacteria in food. Give one symptom of salmonella food poisoning. Do not refer to vomiting or diarrhoea in your answer. [1
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.3 (1 mark): What is the name of the first antibiotic developed? [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.4 (1 mark): The concentration of live bacteria in the body continued to increase after starting the course of antibiotics. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.5 (1 mark): After 3 days of taking the antibiotic: • the child felt better • there were still bacteria in the child’s body. Why did the child feel better? [1 mark] Tick ()
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.6 (1 mark): Suggest why doctors do not give antibiotics to patients with minor infections. [1 mark]
June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.7 (1 mark): A vaccine will stimulate the production of antibodies. Which part of the blood in Figure 8 produces antibodies? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A B C D
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (3 marks): Draw one line from each disease to the pathogen that causes the disease. [3 marks] Disease Pathogen Gonorrhoea Malaria Measles Bacterium Fungus Protist Virus
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.2 (2 marks): Malaria is transmitted by mosquitos. Male mosquitos can be sterilised so they are infertile. The spread of malaria is reduced by releasing sterile mosquitos int
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.3 (1 mark): Name the piece of equipment used to view the virus. [1 mark]
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.4 (3 marks): How many times longer is the fungal spore than the virus? Use Figure 4. [3 marks] Number of times longer =
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.5 (3 marks): Explain why plants infected with tobacco mosaic virus grow slowly. [3 marks]
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.1 (1 mark): Which substance is used as an antibiotic? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Aspirin Digitalis Penicillin Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are two sexually transmitted infectio
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.2 (1 mark): Give one symptom of gonorrhoea. [1 mark]
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.3 (2 marks): Give two control variables used in this investigation. [2 marks] 1 2 Figure 2 shows the results.
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.4 (1 mark): Which antibiotic did not kill either type of bacterium? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A B C D
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.5 (1 mark): Which antibiotic would be the most effective to treat a person with a gonorrhoea infection? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A B C D
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.6 (1 mark): Which antibiotic would be the most effective to treat a person who had both gonorrhoea and chlamydia infections? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A B C D
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.7 (1 mark): Antibiotics cannot be used to treat HIV infections. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.8 (1 mark): Some people go to nail salons to have their nails shaped and painted. Suggest one way workers in nail salons can reduce the risk of infections being spread. [1
November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.9 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why fungal infection of toenails is more common than fungal infection of fingernails. [1 mark]
November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q01.7 (6 marks): A new contraceptive drug for men is being tested. The drug: • is given in one injection • stops sperm being able to fertilise eggs • is effective for up to 13 y
November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.7 (6 marks): A new contraceptive drug for men is being tested. The drug: • is given in one injection • stops sperm being able to fertilise eggs • is effective for up to 13 y
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.2 (4 marks): Gonorrhoea is a bacterial disease. A new vaccine is being developed against gonorrhoea. Describe how a vaccine would work to prevent gonorrhoea. [4 marks]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.3 (2 marks): Explain how vaccinating chickens reduces the number of cases of salmonella food poisoning. [2 marks]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.4 (1 mark): Give one way that the spread of salmonella food poisoning from one human to another is controlled. Do not refer to vaccination in your answer. [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.5 (1 mark): The number of cases of salmonella food poisoning is usually higher in summer than in winter. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.1 (1 mark): How much more time did the clinical trials take compared with the preclinical testing? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 3 years 3.5 years 5 years 6.5 years
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.2 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why low doses of the drug are used in Phase 1 clinical trials. [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.3 (2 marks): Suggest two reasons why healthy volunteers are used in Phase 1 clinical trials. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.4 (1 mark): The results of clinical trials can only be published after peer review by other scientists. Suggest one reason why the results must be reviewed by other scienti
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q06.5 (6 marks): A drug is only licensed for the medical conditions it was tested to treat in the clinical trials. Drug regulations: • control what drugs a doctor can prescribe
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.1 (1 mark): Preclinical testing is done in a laboratory. What is the drug tested on in a laboratory? Give one example. [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.2 (1 mark): How many years did the clinical trials take for the drug in Figure 2? [1 mark] Time for clinical trials = years
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.3 (1 mark): During Phase 1 clinical trials, the drug is tested on healthy volunteers using low doses. What is the main purpose of Phase 1 testing? [1 mark] Tick () one box
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.4 (1 mark): What is a placebo? [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.5 (1 mark): Who knows which patients are given the placebo and which patients are given the drug in a double blind trial? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Not the patients or the
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.6 (2 marks): Give two control variables in this investigation. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.7 (1 mark): None of the children was given a placebo. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark] Figure 3 shows the results. Figure 3
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.8 (1 mark): What was the mean body temperature after 6 hours for the children given ibuprofen? [1 mark] Mean body temperature = °C
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.9 (2 marks): The doctors concluded that children with a high body temperature should be given ibuprofen and not paracetamol. Give two reasons for the doctors’ conclusion. Us
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (2 marks): Draw one line from each disease to the type of pathogen that causes the disease. [2 marks] Disease Type of pathogen Gonorrhoea Measles Bacterium Fungus Protist
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.2 (2 marks): Give two ways that the body prevents pathogens entering the body. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.3 (6 marks): If pathogens do enter the body the immune system tries to destroy the pathogens. Describe how the immune system defends the body against disease. [6 marks]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.4 (1 mark): Give one reason why antibiotics cannot be used to treat HIV infections. [1 mark]
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.5 (2 marks): Give two ways to prevent the spread of HIV. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.6 (1 mark): Some people with a HIV infection develop AIDS. Some people with AIDS may die from a different type of infection, such as a chest infection. Why do people with A
June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q01.3 (1 mark): Digitalis is a drug that slows the heart rate. Where does the drug digitalis originate from? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Bacteria Foxgloves Mould Willow Beta blo
June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (1 mark): What type of pathogen causes malaria? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Bacterium Fungus Protist Virus
June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.2 (4 marks): Give two methods used to prevent people catching malaria. Give a reason why each method works. [4 marks] Method 1 Reason Method 2 Reason
June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q04.5 (4 marks): Give one reason for what is happening to the number of bacteria at each of the stages. [4 marks] Stage A Stage B Stage C Stage D
June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q02.1 (2 marks): Explain what a non-communicable disease is. [2 marks]
June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q05.1 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why the actual number of cases of measles in England and Wales might be higher than is shown in Table 3 [1 mark]
June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q05.2 (2 marks): Calculate the percentage decrease in the number of medically confirmed cases of measles between 2012 and 2015 [2 marks] Percentage decrease = %
June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q05.3 (2 marks): One reason for the decrease in the number of cases of measles is that more children were vaccinated against the disease. Vaccinating a large proportion of the p
June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q05.4 (6 marks): Figure 8 shows the concentration of measles antibodies in the blood of a boy. Figure 8 Explain the differences between antibody production after the vaccine inj
June 2018, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q02 (6 marks): Pseudomonas bacteria cause infections in hospital patients. A new strain of Pseudomonas bacteria has evolved. This new strain can only be killed by one antibiot

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