Edexcel GCSE Biology - Health,
disease and the development of
medicines Exam Questions And
Answers
5.1 Describe health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) - ANSHealth is a
state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
5.2 Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases -
ANSCommunicable are contagious.
Non-communicable diseases cannot be passed from person-to-person.
5.3 Explain why the presence of one disease can lead to a higher susceptibility to other diseases -
ANSA disease can damage the immune system or the body's natural defences/barriers, making easier
for pathogens to enter the body.
A disease can cause organ systems to stop working well, making other (non-communicable) disease
more likely.
5.4 Describe a pathogen as a disease-causing organism, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists
- ANSA pathogen is a disease-causing organism.
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Bacteria
- Protists
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
a cholera (bacteria) causes diarrhoea - ANSCholera (bacteria) causes diarrhoea.
Spread by water
, Prevention: Drinking safe, clean water
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
b tuberculosis (bacteria) causes lung damage - ANSTuberculosis (bacteria) causes lung damage.
Spread airborne
Prevention: Avoiding close proximity with those it; vaccine
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
c Chalara ash dieback (fungi) causes leaf loss and bark
lesions - ANSChalara ash dieback (bacteria) causes bark lesions and tree loss.
Spread airborne
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
d malaria (protists) causes damage to blood and liver - ANSMalaria (protists) causes blood and liver
damage.
Spread by animal vectors
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
e HIV (virus) destroys white blood cells, leading to the onset of AIDS - ANSHIV (virus) destroys white
blood cells, leading to the onset of AIDS.
Spread by bodily fluids
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
f stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter (bacteria) - ANSStomach ulcers caused by Heliobacter
(bacteria).
Spread by oral transmission
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
g Ebola (virus) causes haemorrhagic fever - ANSEbola (virus) causes haemorrhagic fever.
Spread by bodily fluids
disease and the development of
medicines Exam Questions And
Answers
5.1 Describe health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) - ANSHealth is a
state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
5.2 Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases -
ANSCommunicable are contagious.
Non-communicable diseases cannot be passed from person-to-person.
5.3 Explain why the presence of one disease can lead to a higher susceptibility to other diseases -
ANSA disease can damage the immune system or the body's natural defences/barriers, making easier
for pathogens to enter the body.
A disease can cause organ systems to stop working well, making other (non-communicable) disease
more likely.
5.4 Describe a pathogen as a disease-causing organism, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists
- ANSA pathogen is a disease-causing organism.
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Bacteria
- Protists
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
a cholera (bacteria) causes diarrhoea - ANSCholera (bacteria) causes diarrhoea.
Spread by water
, Prevention: Drinking safe, clean water
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
b tuberculosis (bacteria) causes lung damage - ANSTuberculosis (bacteria) causes lung damage.
Spread airborne
Prevention: Avoiding close proximity with those it; vaccine
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
c Chalara ash dieback (fungi) causes leaf loss and bark
lesions - ANSChalara ash dieback (bacteria) causes bark lesions and tree loss.
Spread airborne
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
d malaria (protists) causes damage to blood and liver - ANSMalaria (protists) causes blood and liver
damage.
Spread by animal vectors
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
e HIV (virus) destroys white blood cells, leading to the onset of AIDS - ANSHIV (virus) destroys white
blood cells, leading to the onset of AIDS.
Spread by bodily fluids
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
f stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter (bacteria) - ANSStomach ulcers caused by Heliobacter
(bacteria).
Spread by oral transmission
5.5 Describe some common infections, including:
g Ebola (virus) causes haemorrhagic fever - ANSEbola (virus) causes haemorrhagic fever.
Spread by bodily fluids
