Measles is a communicable disease caused by a virus - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 8 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 8
Measles is a communicable disease caused by a virus.
(a) (i) What can a virus also be classified as?
A bacterium
A fungus
C a pathogen
D a protist
(ii) Give on... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Measles is a communicable disease caused by a virus - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 8 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
What can a virus also be classified as?
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Answer
A virus can be classified as C a pathogen since pathogens are defined as agents that cause disease, which includes viruses.
Step 2
Give one reason why measles is described as a communicable disease.
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Answer
Measles is considered a communicable disease because it can be easily transmitted from one person to another through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Step 3
Which type of cell is destroyed by the HIV virus?
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The HIV virus destroys C white blood cells, specifically the CD4+ T-helper cells, which are crucial for the immune response.
Step 4
Describe how the specific immune system defends the body against disease.
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The specific immune system defends the body by:
Identifying pathogens: Pathogens have specific antigens that are recognized by the immune cells.
Producing antibodies: Lymphocytes produce antibodies that bind to the antigens, leading to the destruction of the pathogen.
Memory cells: Memory lymphocytes are generated, enabling a faster response if the same pathogen invades the body again.
Step 5
Calculate the number of people in Belgium diagnosed with measles.
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Answer
To find the number of people diagnosed with measles in Belgium, we multiply the number diagnosed per million by the total population:
21.00imes11.18=234.78
Rounding to three significant figures, the answer is 235.
Step 6
Give one reason why this is better.
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One reason is that reporting the number of cases per million allows for comparison between countries regardless of their population sizes, making it easier to assess the impact of measles in different regions.
Step 7
Give one reason why the number of people per million diagnosed with measles is different in these countries.
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The differences in the number of people per million diagnosed with measles can be attributed to factors such as vaccination rates, healthcare availability, and public health policies in each country.
