Two people were exposed to pathogen P on the same day - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 18 - 2014 - Paper 1
Question 18
Two people were exposed to pathogen P on the same day. The graph shows the blood antibody levels for that pathogen over the following 28 days for each person.
Which... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Two people were exposed to pathogen P on the same day - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 18 - 2014 - Paper 1
Step 1
Answer option (A)
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Answer
This option suggests that Person 1's immune response is compromised due to a recent organ transplant, which could explain a delayed antibody response. However, the graph shows a significant antibody response, indicating prior exposure.
Step 2
Answer option (B)
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This option states that Person 1 had been previously exposed to pathogen P. The graph indicates a rapid rise in antibody levels for Person 1, consistent with an individual who has encountered the pathogen before.
Step 3
Answer option (C)
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This option indicates that Person 2 had already been vaccinated. The data shown for Person 2 shows a lower, slower antibody response, which aligns with prior vaccination but does not fully account for the situational timeline presented.
Step 4
Answer option (D)
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This option gives insight into Person 2 having contact with a similar pathogen. Similar exposure might provoke an immune response but does not explain the drastic differences in responses seen compared to Person 1.
Step 5
Conclusion
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The best choice, supported by the graph indicating a strong response in Person 1, is (B) Person 1 had been previously exposed to pathogen P.