Sexually transmitted infections Cambridge IGCSE Biology revision
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In plain words
Some infections pass from one person to another through sexual contact. HIV is the one you need to know. It attacks the very white blood cells that defend the body, so in time other infections that would normally be shrugged off become dangerous.
Three things to know
- A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is an infection passed on through sexual contact.
- HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) is a pathogen that causes an STI. An HIV infection may lead to AIDS. It is also passed on through blood (shared needles) and from mother to baby.
- The spread of STIs can be controlled by using condoms, not sharing needles, screening blood, testing and treating people, and education.
Tips and tricks
- HIV is the virus; AIDS is the illness it can lead to. They are not the same thing.
- HIV is a virus, so antibiotics don't work against it.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Sexually transmitted infections: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What kind of pathogen is HIV?
So antibiotics cannot treat it.
What can an HIV infection lead to?
The immune system is gradually weakened.
Which is a way HIV is transmitted?
It is passed on in blood and other body fluids.
Which helps to prevent the spread of STIs?
A condom is a barrier that stops body fluids being exchanged.
What does an STI stand for?
It is passed on by sexual contact.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 6 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Sexually transmitted infections
Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 · 6 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
State what is meant by a sexually transmitted infection.[1]
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An infection that is transmitted through sexual contact.
Give three ways in which HIV can be passed from one person to another.[3]
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Any three: unprotected sexual contact; sharing needles; infected blood (transfusion); from mother to baby across the placenta, at birth or in breast milk.
Give two ways of reducing the spread of STIs.[2]
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Any two: using condoms; not sharing needles; testing and treatment; education; screening blood.
Answers: Sexually transmitted infections
- 1. An infection that is transmitted through sexual contact.
- 2. Any three: unprotected sexual contact; sharing needles; infected blood (transfusion); from mother to baby across the placenta, at birth or in breast milk.
- 3. Any two: using condoms; not sharing needles; testing and treatment; education; screening blood.