Immune System Quiz
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5 questions, one answer each
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1. Which of the following is a non-specific defence against pathogens?
- A. Skin acting as a physical barrier
- B. Antibodies produced by lymphocytes
- C. Memory cells responding to a specific antigen
- D. Phagocytes recognising a particular pathogen
2. Why cannot antibiotics treat viral infections?
- A. Viruses are too small to be affected by antibiotics
- B. Antibiotics target bacterial cell structures that viruses do not have
- C. Viruses reproduce too quickly for antibiotics to work
- D. Antibiotics are only produced naturally by fungi
3. What is the role of memory cells in long-term immunity?
- A. They produce large quantities of antibodies immediately upon first exposure to an antigen
- B. They remain in the body after the initial immune response and respond rapidly to future encounters with the same antigen
- C. They destroy all pathogens non-specifically in the bloodstream
- D. They prevent new antibodies from being produced so the immune system does not overreact
4. A vaccine contains an antigen that stimulates the immune system. Explain why vaccinating a large proportion of a population can protect individuals who cannot be vaccinated.
- A. The vaccine makes the environment toxic to pathogens so they cannot survive outside the body
- B. Herd immunity occurs because fewer people can catch and transmit the disease, reducing the chance of it spreading to unvaccinated individuals
- C. Vaccinated people produce antibodies that are transferred through the air to protect unvaccinated people
- D. The pathogen evolves into a harmless form once most people are vaccinated
5. A new antibiotic is developed and tested using a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. What is the purpose of using a placebo in this trial?
- A. To ensure that the antibiotic can kill all types of bacteria without side effects
- B. To serve as a control group that allows researchers to determine whether observed effects are due to the antibiotic itself rather than the power of suggestion or natural recovery
- C. To reduce the cost of the clinical trial by using an inactive substance instead of the real drug
- D. To prevent patients from developing antibiotic resistance