Sexually transmitted infections Cambridge IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (9–1) 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

  1. A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is an infection passed on through sexual contact.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
5 questions, about 2 minutes.

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.

  1. What kind of pathogen is HIV?
    • a bacterium
    • a virus (the answer)
    • a fungus
    • a protoctist

    So antibiotics cannot treat it.

  2. What can an HIV infection lead to?
    • cholera
    • AIDS (the answer)
    • malaria
    • scurvy

    The immune system is gradually weakened.

  3. Which is a way HIV is transmitted?
    • shaking hands
    • sharing food
    • sharing needles (the answer)
    • coughing

    It is passed on in blood and other body fluids.

  4. Which helps to prevent the spread of STIs?
    • antibiotics for everyone
    • using condoms (the answer)
    • drinking clean water
    • washing hands

    A condom is a barrier that stops body fluids being exchanged.

  5. What does an STI stand for?
    • severely toxic illness
    • sexually transmitted infection (the answer)
    • skin tissue infection
    • single transmitted illness

    It is passed on by sexual contact.

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