A pathogen is best defined as:
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Practise IGCSE 0610 questions in the style of recent Extended past papers, organised by syllabus subtopic. Each set comes with an examiner-style mark scheme and a downloadable worksheet.
Everything students ask about Cambridge IGCSE 0610 Diseases and immunity Topical Past Papers.
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These Diseases and immunity Topical Past Paper Questions are written in the style of recent Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 Extended papers and grouped by the Diseases and immunity (B10.1) section of the 2025–2027 syllabus. Use them to revise the exact skills examiners test in this part of the course.
Each question is graded Easy → Medium → Hard, plus an A★ Challenge for top-grade preparation. Tap a question to mark your own answer, then unlock the examiner-style mark scheme with model solutions and examiner tips. A printable Topical Past Papers worksheet is included so you can practise offline.
Define a pathogen as a disease-causing organism. Describe the transmissible diseases caused by pathogens and the body's defences: mechanical barriers (skin), chemical barriers (mucus, stomach acid), cells (phagocytosis) and antibody production. Explain active, passive, natural and artificial immunity.
A pathogen is best defined as:
Give ONE example of a mechanical barrier preventing pathogen entry to the body.
[1 mark]Give ONE example of a chemical barrier.
[1 mark]Phagocytosis is the process by which:
Explain how antibodies destroy pathogens.
[3 marks]Which type of immunity is gained by being vaccinated?
Explain how vaccination produces long-term immunity to a disease.
[3 marks]Distinguish ACTIVE and PASSIVE immunity, and give one example of each.
[3 marks]Why is the seasonal flu vaccine reformulated EVERY YEAR, unlike many other vaccines?