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Bacteria, viruses, TB and HIV: Edexcel A‑Level Biology A questions

Every Edexcel A-Level Biology A exam question on Bacteria, viruses, TB and HIV (specification points 6.5–6.6), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,749 questions

  1. Q9(b)

    June 2024 · Paper 1

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1, question 9(b): Hepatitis C enters liver cells and destroys them. The virus causing hepatitis C has a similar structure to HIV. It is an RNA virus with a lipid envelope and gly

  2. Q5(a)(i)

    June 2024 · Paper 3

    1 markBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 3, question 5(a)(i): State the role of gp120 in the life cycle of the HIV virus. (1)

  3. Q5(a)(ii)

    June 2024 · Paper 3

    1 markBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 3, question 5(a)(ii): Give a reason why there are proteins from the host cell in the lipid membrane surrounding the virus particle. (1)

  4. Q7(a)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 7(a): Describe how M. tuberculosis bacteria evade the immune system. (2)

  5. Q7(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 3

    9 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIVThe immune response
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 3, question 7(b)(ii): The gene for STAT3 can have alternative bases at two sites, SNP1 and SNP2. • The base at SNP1 is either A or G and the base at SNP2 is either T or C. • The SNP1

  6. Q8(b)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 8(b): M. tuberculosis bacteria can remain dormant in the body after infection. Explain why these dormant bacteria are not destroyed by the immune system. (3)

  7. Q8(c)(i)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 8(c)(i): Calculate the percentage of TB patients infected with HIV who died of TB. (2) %

  8. Q8(c)(ii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 8(c)(ii): Describe the effect of HIV on the number of deaths from TB. (2)

  9. Q8(c)(iii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    6 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 8(c)(iii): There are increased numbers of deaths from TB as a result of HIV infection. The table shows data for deaths worldwide from HIV and TB in 2016. Type of infection

  10. Q2(a)

    June 2022 · Paper 3

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIVAntibiotics and hospital infections
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 3, question 2(a): Influenza cannot be treated with antibiotics. Explain why antibiotics cannot be used to treat influenza. (2)

  11. Q2(b)

    June 2022 · Paper 3

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 3, question 2(b): The surface of this virus capsid is covered with ‘spike’ proteins. The diameter of the capsid of this virus is 240 nm. Diagram of the surface of The diagram sho

  12. Q9(a)

    November 2021 · Paper 1

    1 markBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1, question 9(a): HIV particles contain (1) A DNA and DNA polymerase B DNA and reverse transcriptase C RNA and DNA polymerase D RNA and reverse transcriptase

  13. Q9(b)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 1

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1, question 9(b)(i): Describe how HIV particles are able to enter T helper cells. (3)

  14. Q9(b)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 1

    4 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1, question 9(b)(ii): Explain why the destruction of T helper cells causes the symptoms of AIDS. (4)

  15. Q9(c)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 1

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1, question 9(c)(i): Deduce why this mutation makes these people resistant to HIV infection. (2)

  16. Q9(c)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 1

    4 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIVStem cells and specialisation
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1, question 9(c)(ii): Stem cell therapy can be used to treat patients infected with HIV. The bone marrow of these patients can be destroyed using radiotherapy. The patients can then

  17. Q8(b)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    4 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(b): Explain why scientists believe CRISPR could be used to prevent AIDS developing in people infected with HIV (paragraph 7). (4)

  18. Q8(h)

    November 2021 · Paper 3

    2 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 3, question 8(h): Deduce how PERVs present in pig tissues could infect human cells (paragraph 25). (2)

  19. Q9(a)

    October 2020 · Paper 1

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 1, question 9(a): Compare and contrast the structure of Ebola virus with that of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (3)

  20. Q6(b)

    June 2018 · Paper 1

    3 marksBacteria, viruses, TB and HIV
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1, question 6(b): The graphs show the number of cases of TB and the number of deaths from TB worldwide from 2000 to 2015. 15 3.0 2.5 All cases 10 2.0 TB deaths 1.5 5 1.0 New case
All 23 questions on Bacteria, viruses, TB and HIV, as a list
  1. June 2024, Paper 1, Q9(b) (3 marks): Hepatitis C enters liver cells and destroys them. The virus causing hepatitis C has a similar structure to HIV. It is an RNA virus with a lipid envelope and gly
  2. June 2024, Paper 3, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): State the role of gp120 in the life cycle of the HIV virus. (1)
  3. June 2024, Paper 3, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Give a reason why there are proteins from the host cell in the lipid membrane surrounding the virus particle. (1)
  4. June 2023, Paper 3, Q7(a) (2 marks): Describe how M. tuberculosis bacteria evade the immune system. (2)
  5. June 2023, Paper 3, Q7(b)(ii) (9 marks): The gene for STAT3 can have alternative bases at two sites, SNP1 and SNP2. • The base at SNP1 is either A or G and the base at SNP2 is either T or C. • The SNP1
  6. June 2022, Paper 1, Q8(b) (3 marks): M. tuberculosis bacteria can remain dormant in the body after infection. Explain why these dormant bacteria are not destroyed by the immune system. (3)
  7. June 2022, Paper 1, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the percentage of TB patients infected with HIV who died of TB. (2) %
  8. June 2022, Paper 1, Q8(c)(ii) (2 marks): Describe the effect of HIV on the number of deaths from TB. (2)
  9. June 2022, Paper 1, Q8(c)(iii) (6 marks): There are increased numbers of deaths from TB as a result of HIV infection. The table shows data for deaths worldwide from HIV and TB in 2016. Type of infection
  10. June 2022, Paper 3, Q2(a) (2 marks): Influenza cannot be treated with antibiotics. Explain why antibiotics cannot be used to treat influenza. (2)
  11. June 2022, Paper 3, Q2(b) (3 marks): The surface of this virus capsid is covered with ‘spike’ proteins. The diameter of the capsid of this virus is 240 nm. Diagram of the surface of The diagram sho
  12. November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(a) (1 mark): HIV particles contain (1) A DNA and DNA polymerase B DNA and reverse transcriptase C RNA and DNA polymerase D RNA and reverse transcriptase
  13. November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(b)(i) (3 marks): Describe how HIV particles are able to enter T helper cells. (3)
  14. November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(b)(ii) (4 marks): Explain why the destruction of T helper cells causes the symptoms of AIDS. (4)
  15. November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(c)(i) (2 marks): Deduce why this mutation makes these people resistant to HIV infection. (2)
  16. November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(c)(ii) (4 marks): Stem cell therapy can be used to treat patients infected with HIV. The bone marrow of these patients can be destroyed using radiotherapy. The patients can then
  17. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(b) (4 marks): Explain why scientists believe CRISPR could be used to prevent AIDS developing in people infected with HIV (paragraph 7). (4)
  18. November 2021, Paper 3, Q8(h) (2 marks): Deduce how PERVs present in pig tissues could infect human cells (paragraph 25). (2)
  19. October 2020, Paper 1, Q9(a) (3 marks): Compare and contrast the structure of Ebola virus with that of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (3)
  20. June 2018, Paper 1, Q6(b) (3 marks): The graphs show the number of cases of TB and the number of deaths from TB worldwide from 2000 to 2015. 15 3.0 2.5 All cases 10 2.0 TB deaths 1.5 5 1.0 New case
  21. June 2018, Paper 3, Q7(k) (3 marks): Compare and contrast the structure of a bacterium, such as the one that causes neurological syphilis, with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (paragraph 49)
  22. June 2017, Paper 1, Q8(a)(i) (3 marks): Comment on the relationship between HPV and these two conditions. (3)
  23. June 2017, Paper 3, Q7(k) (4 marks): Bacillus subtilis ‘initiate a hibernation protocol’ (paragraph 25). Mycobacterium tuberculosis can also become dormant for long periods of time. Compare and con

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