CAIE A Level Biology 9700 · Infectious diseases
A patient is diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and also has a mild viral respiratory infection. The doctor prescribes penicillin for the pneumonia but not for the viral infection.
Explain how penicillin acts on bacteria and why it is ineffective against viruses. Also discuss the consequences of antibiotic resistance and the steps that can be taken to reduce its impact.
5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.
Explain means: Give the reasons or the mechanism: why or how something happens. Link each point to the next with because, so or which means. A list of facts with no links usually loses the reasoning marks.
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