Practise Bacterial diseases. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Salmonella is a type of bacterium that causes food poisoning. Give two symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning.
Any two from: fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). What type of pathogen causes gonorrhoea?
A bacterium
Salmonella food poisoning and gonorrhoea are both diseases caused by bacteria. Give two symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning.
Any two from: fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea.
What name is given to an animal, such as a tick, that spreads a pathogen from one host to another?
Vector
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy5 marks
Salmonella is a type of bacterium that causes food poisoning.
(a) Give two symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning.[2]
(b) The symptoms are caused by the bacteria and by poisonous substances that the bacteria secrete. What name is given to these poisonous substances?[1]
(c) How is Salmonella usually spread to humans? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
By inhaling droplets from coughs and sneezes
By eating food containing the bacteria
By the bite of an infected insect
By sexual contact
(d) Give one way the spread of Salmonella is controlled in the UK.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Any two from: fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea.
fever / high temperature
abdominal cramps / stomach pains
vomiting
diarrhoea
(b)Answer: Toxins
toxins
(c)Answer: By eating food containing the bacteria
(d)Answer: Poultry are vaccinated against Salmonella.
vaccinating poultry / chickens
cooking food (especially chicken and eggs) thoroughly
preparing food in hygienic conditions / washing hands before handling food
Question 2Medium7 marks
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
(a) What type of pathogen causes gonorrhoea?[1]
(b) Give two symptoms of gonorrhoea.[2]
(c) Gonorrhoea used to be easily treated with the antibiotic penicillin. Explain why penicillin is no longer used to treat gonorrhoea.[2]
(d) Give two ways the spread of gonorrhoea can be controlled.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: A bacterium
bacterium / bacteria
(b)Answer: A thick yellow or green discharge from the vagina or penis; pain when urinating.
thick yellow / green discharge from the vagina / penis
pain on urinating
(c)
many strains of the bacterium are (now) resistant to penicillin
(so) penicillin would not kill the bacteria / would not cure the infection
(d)
treating infected people with an (effective) antibiotic
using a barrier method of contraception / condoms
testing and treating the sexual partners of infected people
having fewer sexual partners
Question 3Hard5 marks
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterium. It used to be easily treated with the antibiotic penicillin, but many strains of the bacterium are now resistant to penicillin.
(a) Explain why strains of the bacterium that are resistant to penicillin are more difficult to treat than strains that are not resistant.[2]
(b) A health authority wants to reduce the number of cases of gonorrhoea. Evaluate the use of antibiotic treatment and the use of condoms to control the spread of gonorrhoea.[3]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
penicillin no longer kills the resistant bacteria
so the infection is not cured and another antibiotic that still works must be found; meanwhile, the person can continue to spread the bacteria
(b)
antibiotic treatment cures infected people, so they can no longer pass the bacteria on
but resistant strains may not respond to some antibiotics, and using antibiotics more often may increase resistance
condoms are a barrier that stops the bacteria being passed on during sexual contact, and they work against resistant strains too
but condoms only prevent spread if they are used correctly every time, and they do not cure people who are already infected
conclusion, e.g. using both is best: condoms prevent new infections and antibiotics cure people who are already infected