2 (a) Different age groups of people, in one area, were asked about their tobacco smoking habits. Fig. 2.1 is a graph that shows the percentage of people that currently smoke tobacco and the percentage of people that used to smoke tobacco but have now stopped. 0 16–24 25–34 35–49 age group Key: people that smoke tobacco people that have stopped smoking tobacco 50–59 60+ 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 percentage of people Fig. 2.1 Describe how the data for the 60+ age group are different from the 16 – 24-year-old age group. … … … … … … … [3] (b) Lung cancer and other cancers are caused by smoking tobacco. State the names of two other diseases caused by smoking tobacco. 1 … 2 … [2] (c) State the name of the component of tobacco smoke that causes cancer. … [1] (d) Describe the effects of carbon monoxide on the gas exchange system. … … … … … … … [3] [Total: 9]

1(a) J ; F ; C ; K / C ; A ; G ; 6 1(b) B - oesophagus ; H - gall bladder ; 2 1(c) any order: colon ; rectum ; anus ; 3 2(a) any three from: 1 greater percentage of people have stopped (smoking tobacco) in the 60+ (age group) (than the 16–24 year old age group) / ora ; 2 greater percentage of smokers (present) in 16–24 (year old age group) (than in 60+ age group) / ora ; 3 greater percentage of people in the 60+ group have stopped smoking than are currently smoking ; 4 greater percentage of people in the 16–24 group smoke than have stopped smoking ; 5 greater percentage of people in the 60+ (age group) have smoked in the past than have smoked in the current 16–24 (age group) ; 6 comparative data quote / manipulation ; 3 2(b) any two from: COPD / chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ; CHD / coronary heart disease ; AVP ;; 2 2(c) tar ; 1

2 Transmissible diseases are caused by pathogens. (a) Cholera is a transmissible disease that causes diarrhoea. State the type of organism that causes cholera. … [1] (b) One method of controlling the spread of disease is to treat raw sewage to make it safe. (i) Describe how raw sewage is treated to make the water safe to drink and safe to release into the sea. … … … … … … … [3] (ii) State one other method of controlling the spread of disease. … [1] (c) The body has defences against diseases. (i) The body has barriers that prevent pathogens from entering the body. State the name of one mechanical barrier and one chemical barrier. mechanical … chemical … [2] (ii) State one product of white blood cells that defends the body from pathogens. … [1] [Total: 8]

2(a) bacterium / bacteria ; 1 2(b)(i) any three from: screening / removal of large objects ; settlement ; (trickling) filters / reed bed ; aerobic respiration (by microorganisms) / activated sludge ; chlorination / UV treatment ; 3 2(b)(ii) any one from: hygienic food preparation / described ; good personal hygiene / described ; hygienic waste disposal ; vaccination ; AVP ; 1 2(c)(i) mechanical: skin / hairs in nose ; chemical: mucus / stomach acid / hydrochloric acid ; 2 2(c)(ii) antibodies ; 1

7 Measles is an example of a transmissible disease that is caused by a virus. (a) Complete the definition of transmissible disease. A transmissible disease is a disease in which the … can be passed from one … to another. [2] (b) Fig. 7.1 is a pie chart showing the number of people infected with four different transmissible diseases in one country in 2018. cholera AIDS measles tuberculosis Key: 29 304 19 000 65 098 170 000 Fig. 7.1 (i) State the name of the disease with the smallest number of infections in Fig. 7.1. … [1] (ii) Use the information in Fig. 7.1 to calculate the total number of people infected with these four diseases. … people infected [1] (iii) State the type of organism that causes cholera. … [1] (c) (i) The list shows some examples of ways that disease-causing organisms can be transmitted. air animals blood contaminated surfaces food Complete Table 7.1 to show which are examples of direct contact and which are examples of indirect contact. Each example can be used once, more than once or not at all. Table 7.1 direct contact indirect contact [2] (ii) Table 7.2 shows three ways the body can defend itself and some examples of the three methods. Place ticks (3) in the boxes to show the correct type of defence mechanism for each example. Table 7.2 example of defence mechanism cells chemical mechanical antibody production hairs in the nose mucus phagocytosis skin stomach acid [3] [Total: 10]

7(a) pathogen ; host ; 2 7(b)(i) AIDS ; 1 7(b)(ii) 283 402 (people infected) ; 1 7(b)(iii) bacteria ; 1 7(c)(i) direct contact indirect contact blood air animal contaminated surfaces food ;; 2 5 correct = 2 marks 4 or 3 correct = 1 mark 2 or 1 correct = 0 marks 7(c)(ii) example of defence mechanism cells chemical mechanical antibody production  hairs in the nose  mucus  phagocytosis  skin  stomach acid  ;;; 3 one mark for each correct column To earn marks, you must complete the definition with 'pathogen' and 'host'. You need to identify 'AIDS' as the disease with the smallest number of infections and correctly calculate the total number of infected people as 283,402. You must also state 'bacteria' as the cause of cholera. For the table, you need to correctly categorize the transmission examples into direct and indirect contact. Finally, you must correctly classify each given defense mechanism as a cell, chemical, or mechanical defense.

8 (a) (i) State the type of pathogen that can be treated with antibiotics. … [1] (ii) State the name of the pathogen that can lead to AIDS. … [1] (b) Many pathogens have developed resistance to some antibiotics. A study took samples of pathogens and tested them for resistance to various types of antibiotics. Fig. 8.1 shows the percentage of pathogens sampled that were resistant to various antibiotics. The samples were taken between 2000 and 2013. 0 10 20 30 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 year percentage of pathogens sampled that show resistance antibiotic A Key: antibiotic B antibiotic C Fig. 8.1 (i) State the meaning of antibiotic resistance. … [1] (ii) Describe the pattern of resistance for the three antibiotics shown in Fig. 8.1. … … … … … … … [3] (c) Some medicinal drugs, such as human insulin, can be made using biotechnology and genetic engineering. (i) State where insulin is produced in humans. … [1] (ii) State the function of insulin in humans. … [1] (d) (i) State why bacteria are useful in biotechnology. … … … … … [2] (ii) Describe the role of yeast in biotechnology. … … … … … … … [3] [Total: 13]

8(a)(i) bacteria ; 1 8(a)(ii) HIV / human immunodeficiency virus ; 1 8(b)(i) idea of antibiotics having reduced effectiveness against some bacterial infections / AW ; 1 8(b)(ii) any three from: 1 resistance to all three antibiotics is increasing (2000–2012) ; 2 resistance to antibiotic A and B starts at 0% in 2000 ; 3 resistance to antibiotic C decreases from 2012 (to 2013) ; 4 data quote with units ; 5&6 AVP ;; e.g. resistance to B and C are the same between 2009 and 2012 / resistance to A rises very steeply between 2000 and 2001 / from 2001 the percentage of pathogens resistant to A is always higher than B and C ora 3 8(c)(i) pancreas ; 1 8(c)(ii) reduces blood glucose (concentration / level) ; 1 8(d)(i) any two from: rapid reproduction rate ; ability to produce complex molecules ; AVP ; e.g. ethical reasons / cheaper than animals 2 8(d)(ii) any three from: anaerobic respiration / fermentation ; production of ethanol for biofuels ; production of carbon dioxide in bread-making ; AVP ; e.g. brewing 3 For part (a)(i), state 'bacteria' as the pathogen type. For part (a)(ii), state 'HIV' or 'human immunodeficiency virus'. For part (b)(i), explain that antibiotic resistance means antibiotics are less effective against some bacterial infections. For part (b)(ii), describe three distinct patterns or trends in the resistance data, such as overall increase, specific starting points, or a decrease for one antibiotic, and you can include a data quote with units.

20 Which component of blood produces antibodies? A red blood cells B white blood cells C platelets D plasma

Answer: B To earn the mark, a student must correctly identify white blood cells as the component of blood responsible for producing antibodies.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology · 0610

IGCSE Biology (0610) Diseases and immunity past paper questions

Questions on pathogens, the body’s defences, and active and passive immunity.

187 free questions from 2017–2021, each with its marking scheme. Open the full topical bank to filter by subtopic, paper, and year.

Diseases and immunity in IGCSE Biology 0610 exams, 2020–2025

Across 2020–2025, Diseases and immunity accounted for 193 questions worth 721 marks in Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) papers.

By year
Year	Questions	Marks
2020	31	78
2021	38	146
2022	32	131
2023	31	121
2024	29	111
2025	32	134

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10.1 Diseases and immunity575 marks

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Paper 1 · 57 qs
Paper 2 · 89 qs
Paper 3 · 23 qs
Paper 4 · 24 qs

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2021 Feb/Mar · Paper 3 · Q2 · 9 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 3 · Q2 · 8 marks
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2021 May/Jun · Paper 3 · Q7 · 10 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 3 · Q8 · 13 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 1 · Q20 · 1 mark
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Mark scheme — 2021 Paper 1 Q20
Answer: B
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