AQA GCSE Biology Biology Paper 1 (Higher), June 2022: Question 7
19 marks · Standard Demand difficulty · Extended Answer
Explain the spread, epidemiology, vaccination, and monoclonal antibody prevention of HIV and AIDS.
Practise this questionQuestion
Question text
07 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a pathogen.
07.1 Give one way HIV can spread from one person to another person.
[1 mark]
Table 8 shows information about new cases of HIV diagnosed in the UK.
Table 8
Number of new HIV Number of new HIV
Year cases in women
cases in men
2010 376 2266
2012 361 2310
2014 397 2370
2016 298 1886
2018 242 1288
07.2 Describe the trends shown in Table 8 between 2010 and 2018.
[2 marks]
07.3 Suggest one reason for the change in the number of new HIV cases between
2014 and 2018.
[1 mark]
07.4 Calculate the ratio of new cases of HIV in women to new cases of HIV in men in 2018.
Give your answer to 3 significant figures.
*32* [3 marks]
Ratio (3 significant figures) = : 1
07.5 In the UK population the total number of women is greater than the total number
of men.
The data in Table 8 is used to compare the proportions of new cases of HIV in the
population for men and women.
Suggest how the data could be presented differently so that a more valid comparison
can be made.
[1 mark]
Scientists have been working to produce a vaccine for HIV for many years.
07.6 Explain how a vaccine for HIV could work to prevent a person developing
HIV infection.
[4 marks]
A person with late stage HIV infection has AIDS.
Scientists have produced monoclonal antibodies for HIV.
The monoclonal antibodies can prevent a person infected with HIV developing AIDS.
07.7 Describe how the monoclonal antibody for HIV can be produced.
[4 marks]
07.8 Figure 9 shows how HIV enters a human cell.
Figure 9
Suggest how the monoclonal antibody for HIV helps to prevent a person infected with
HIV developing AIDS.
Use information from Figure 9.
[3 marks]
Mark scheme
Show the mark scheme
Question 7
AO /
Question Answers Extra information Mark
Spec. Ref.
07.1 any one from: 1 AO1
4.3.1.1
• sexual contact / intercourse allow intercourse unqualified 4.3.1.2
ignore kissing
• exchange of body fluids allow example of exchange such
as (drug) users sharing needles
or blood transfusion or passage
from mother to foetus in uterus
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.2 ignore use of figures AO3
(number of cases) in women 1 4.3.1.1
decreases then increases, then 4.3.1.2
decreases
(number of cases) in men 1
increases then decreases
allow total numbers (of men and
women together) increase then
decrease
ignore reference to differences
between men and women
if no other marks awarded allow
overall trend decreases in both
for 1 mark
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.3 any one from: 1 AO3
• better education (into allow increased awareness 4.3.1.2
prevention of spread of HIV) about HIV
• condoms more widely ignore contraception / protection
available or condoms easier unqualified
to source or condoms
26 cheaper
• new / better drugs (to prevent allow PrEP / anti-retrovirals stop
HIV infection / spread) the virus being passed on
ignore new treatments
do not accept antibiotics
• better / more testing /
identification (of people with
HIV)
allow less promiscuity
ignore vaccination
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.4 242 1 AO2
1288 4.3.1.2
0.1878… allow a rounded answer 1
0.188 (:1) allow a correctly rounded 1
answer from student’s incorrect
division using numbers from
Table 8
do not accept if a unit is given
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.5 any one from: 1 AO3
• calculate as a percentage ignore calculate as a proportion 4.3.1.2
• give the numbers per allow any standard number eg
100 000 people 10 000 / 1000
AO /
Spec. Ref.
ignore reference to WBC
07.6 unqualified AO1
4.3.1.7
inactive HIV / virus is injected allow dead HIV / virus is injected 1 4.3.1.6
(into bloodstream / muscle / (into bloodstream / muscle / 4.3.1.2
body) body)
allow (named) part of HIV / virus
is injected (into bloodstream /
muscle / body)
white bloods cells produce allow lymphocytes produce 1
antibodies (against inactive antibodies (against inactive
virus) virus)
do not accept phagocytes
produce antibodies (against
inactive virus)
(if infected with HIV) correct / 1
specific antibodies are produced
quickly
antibodies destroy the (active) allow antibodies ‘kill’ the (active) 1
virus / HIV virus / HIV
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.7 HIV / antigen / protein injected allow other correct small 1 AO1
into mouse mammals eg rat 4.3.2.1
extract / collect (mouse) allow extract specific 1
lymphocytes that make a lymphocytes from someone
specific antibody to HIV / with HIV for 2 marks
antigen / protein
lymphocytes are combined with allow lymphocytes are combined 1
28 a tumour cell to create a with a myeloma / cancer cell to
hybridoma create a hybridoma
(hybridoma) cloned to create 1
many cells that produce the
antibody
alternative route
HIV / antigen / protein injected
into mouse (1)
lymphocytes from mouse are
combined with a tumour cell to
create a hybridoma (1)
the hybridoma that makes the
specific / correct antibody is
isolated (1)
(hybridoma) cloned to create
many cells that produce the
antibody (1)
AO /
Spec. Ref.
07.8 allow ‘the virus’ for HIV AO3
throughout 4.3.2.1
4.3.2.2
monoclonal antibody is allow correct description of 1
complementary / specific to HIV complementarity
antigen
monoclonal antibodies attach to 1
(all the) HIV antigens
(so) HIV cannot bind to (human) allow white blood cells or 1
cell phagocytes identify
or (monoclonal) antibodies and
(so) HIV genetic material cannot engulf / destroy (antibody 29
enter (human) cell bound) HIV
alternative route
monoclonal antibody is
complementary / specific to HIV
antigen (1)
monoclonal antibody with (anti-
retroviral) drug attached
attaches to the HIV antigens (1)
drug destroys the virus or drug
destroys genetic material (1)
Total Question 7 19
How to answer it
AQA GCSE Biology: HIV, Vaccination & Monoclonal Antibodies
This multi-part question assesses core knowledge and analytical skills from Infection and Response (Topic 3):
- Pathogen Transmission: Routes of HIV spread.
- Data Analysis: Identifying complex trends from tabular data and standardising demographic statistics.
- Mathematical Skills: Calculating a ratio in the form n : 1 to three significant figures.
- Immunology: Step-by-step mechanism of vaccination and secondary immune response.
- Biotechnology (Higher Tier): Production steps of monoclonal antibodies using hybridoma technology.
- Application: Using structural diagrams to explain how monoclonal antibodies block viral infection.
Question 07.1: HIV Transmission
1 Mark • Recall
✅ Correct Answers (Any one)
- Sexual contact / intercourse
- Exchange of bodily fluids (e.g. sharing drug needles, blood transfusions, mother to foetus/baby across placenta or during birth)
❌ Common Errors
- Kissing / Saliva: HIV is not transmitted through casual contact or kissing.
- Airborne / Droplets: HIV is not spread by coughing or sneezing.
Question 07.2: Describing Trends in Table 8
2 Marks • Data Interpretation
✅ Correct Answer Breakdown
- Mark 1 (Women): Decreases, then increases, then decreases.
- Mark 2 (Men): Increases, then decreases.
Note: Describing total cases as "increases then decreases" is also credited. If neither full trend is spotted, stating both show an "overall decrease" gains 1 compensatory mark.
🧠 Exam Technique
When asked to "describe trends" across multiple categories:
- Examine each column separately from beginning to end.
- Look for turning points: notice women dropped (376 → 361), rose (397), then fell (298 → 242). Simply saying "decreased overall" misses the intermediate peak and forfeits the mark!
- Do not just quote raw numbers; describe the pattern in words.
Question 07.3: Reasons for Case Reductions (2014–2018)
1 Mark • Application of Social & Medical Knowledge
✅ Correct Answers (Any one)
- Better sex education / increased awareness about HIV transmission.
- Condoms are more widely available, easier to get, or cheaper.
- New or more effective antiretroviral drugs / PrEP preventing transmission.
- More widespread HIV testing and diagnosis, allowing early intervention.
❌ Common Errors & Examiner Warnings
- "Vaccination": There is currently NO approved vaccine for HIV (the next question tells you scientists are still working on one!).
- "Antibiotics": Antibiotics only kill bacteria, never viruses.
- "Contraception" (unqualified): The pill, implants, and IUDs prevent pregnancy, NOT viral transmission. Only barrier methods like condoms protect against STIs.
Question 07.4: Ratio Calculation
3 Marks • Mathematical Requirement
📐 Step-by-Step Calculation
Goal: Find the ratio of new cases in women to new cases in men in 2018 in the format X : 1 to 3 significant figures.
- Step 1: Extract 2018 figures from Table 8:
Women = 242
Men = 1288 - Step 2: Set up division to get to base 1:
Ratio = 242 / 1288 [Mark 1] - Step 3: Calculate unrounded value:
242 ÷ 1288 = 0.187888198... [Mark 2] - Step 4: Round to 3 significant figures:
First 3 non-zero digits are 1, 8, 7. The next digit is 8 (rounds up).
0.188 [Mark 3]
Final Answer: 0.188 : 1
❌ Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not write units (e.g. "0.188 people" or "%").
- Do not divide the wrong way around ( 1288 / 242 = 5.32 gives men to women, not women to men).
- Watch the rounding: writing 0.19 loses the final significant figure accuracy mark.
Question 07.5: Valid Comparisons in Unequal Populations
1 Mark • Scientific Methodology
✅ Correct Answers (Either one)
- Calculate as a percentage of the population.
- Present numbers per 100 000 people (or per 1 000 / 10 000 people).
💡 Why is this necessary?
Absolute numbers can be misleading when sample sizes differ. If there are 33 million women and 31 million men, raw cases don't show the true risk. Standardising per unit of population (e.g., rate per 100 000) makes comparisons valid.
Question 07.6: Mechanism of a Vaccine
4 Marks • Detailed Biological Process
💡 The 4-Step Vaccination Chain
- Injection: Inactive / dead / attenuated HIV or specific HIV antigens are introduced into the bloodstream or body. [Mark 1]
- Primary Response: White blood cells (specifically lymphocytes) detect the antigens and produce complementary antibodies. [Mark 2]
- Memory / Secondary Response: If infected with live HIV later, memory cells recognise the antigens and produce specific antibodies rapidly and in larger quantities. [Mark 3]
- Destruction: These antibodies bind to and destroy the active HIV virus before it causes illness. [Mark 4]
🧠 Top Mark Secrets
Always state that antibodies are produced quickly or in greater numbers during the secondary response. Saying just "antibodies are made" is not enough for the 3rd mark.
❌ Common Errors
- Stating that phagocytes produce antibodies (phagocytes only engulf and digest pathogens).
- Claiming the vaccine contains antibodies (a vaccine contains antigens to stimulate your own immune system).
Question 07.7: Production of Monoclonal Antibodies
4 Marks • Higher Tier Recall
💡 Monoclonal Antibody Recipe (Hybridoma Method)
- Step 1: Inject a mouse with the target antigen (HIV protein / antigen). [Mark 1]
- Step 2: Extract / isolate B-lymphocytes that make antibodies against the HIV antigen from the mouse spleen. [Mark 2]
- Step 3: Fuse these lymphocytes with tumour cells (myeloma cells) to create a hybridoma cell. [Mark 3]
- Step 4: Clone the hybridoma to produce many identical cells that continuously secrete the specific monoclonal antibody. [Mark 4]
🧠 Key Terms the Examiner Needs to See
Ensure you include: lymphocyte (makes antibody), tumour cell / myeloma (divides rapidly), hybridoma (combined cell), and cloning (makes identical copies).
Question 07.8: How Monoclonal Antibodies Prevent AIDS
3 Marks • Application of Figure 9
✅ Model Answer Using the Diagram
- The monoclonal antibody has a shape that is complementary / specific to the HIV antigen. [Mark 1]
- The monoclonal antibodies bind / attach to the antigens on the surface of the HIV virus. [Mark 2]
- This physically blocks the virus, so HIV cannot bind to the antigen binding sites on human cells, preventing HIV genetic material from entering the human host cell. [Mark 3]
🧠 Diagram Annotation Guide
Figure 9 shows:
- HIV antigens attaching like puzzle pieces into binding sites on the human cell membrane.
- HIV genetic material being injected into the cell.
- Your job is to explain how antibodies act as a "shield" or cap over the HIV antigens, directly halting that injection step!
❌ Key Distinction
Do NOT say the antibody is the "same shape" as the antigen. It is complementary (fits together like a lock and key).
Topics
Biology · B3: Infection and Response
Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Biology examination, Biology Paper 1 (Higher), June 2022. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.