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Meningitis B and meningitis C are caused by bacteria - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 3 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 3
Meningitis B and meningitis C are caused by bacteria. The graph shows the number of cases of meningitis B and meningitis C in England, from 1999 to 2004. (a) (i) U... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Meningitis B and meningitis C are caused by bacteria - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 3 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
Use the graph to calculate the change in the total number of cases of meningitis in 1999 compared with 2004.
Answer
To find the total number of cases of meningitis in 1999, sum the cases of meningitis B and meningitis C from the graph for that year. In 1999, there were approximately 1500 cases of meningitis B and about 150 cases of meningitis C, making the total 1650 cases.
For 2004, the graph shows approximately 600 cases of meningitis B and around 200 cases of meningitis C, totaling 800 cases.
Thus, the change in the total number of cases from 1999 to 2004 is:
Total cases in 1999 - Total cases in 2004 = 1650 - 800 = 850.
This indicates a decrease of 850 cases over the five-year period.
Step 2
Describe the effects the immunisation had on the number of cases of both types of meningitis.
Answer
The introduction of immunisation against meningitis C in 1999 greatly reduced the number of cases of that type of meningitis. After 1999, there is a noticeable decline in the annual cases of meningitis C, indicating the effectiveness of the vaccine.
In contrast, while the cases of meningitis B showed variations, they remained relatively higher compared to meningitis C, highlighting that the immunisation specifically targeted meningitis C. Over the following years, meningitis B cases did not reflect the same downward trend and remained a concern, suggesting the need for specific strategies to deal with meningitis B cases as well.