data base question [38 

marks]
1a. [1 mark]
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is the disease in humans and other primates that is caused by the
Ebola virus. Fruit bats are the reservoir for the virus and are able to spread the disease
without being affected. Humans can become infected by contact with fruit bats or with
people infected by the virus, their body fluids or equipment used to treat them.
The table shows data for four African countries that were affected by the 2014–2015 Ebola
outbreak.

[Source: adapted with permission, from Ebola Situation Report, figure 1,

http://apps.who.int/ebola/current-situation/ebolasituation-
report-2-march-2016, March 2016, and from Successful treatment of advanced Ebola virus
infection with T-705
(favipiravir) in a small animal model, Oestereich, L. et al, 2014, under CC BY 3.0]
Identify the country with the largest number of Ebola cases.
1b. [1 mark]
Identify the country with the largest number of deaths.
1c. [1 mark]
Analysis of the data suggests that the number of deaths from EVD is not related to the total
population size. State one piece of evidence from the data that would support this analysis.
1d. [1 mark]
Based on the mode of transmission of the Ebola virus, suggest a possible reason for the
relationship between population density and the number of Ebola cases in these four
countries.
1e. [3 marks]
The graphs show the progress of the EVD epidemic in Guinea and Liberia for the period
April 2014 to May 2015.

[Source: Ebola Situation Report 2 March 2016 and data from International Journal of
Infectious Diseases, 38,
Ligui Wang et al, Epidemiological features and trends of Ebola virus disease in West Africa,
52-53.,
Copyright 2015, with permission from Elsevier]
Based on the data, compare and contrast the progress of the epidemic in Liberia and
Guinea.
1f. [2 marks]
Suggest two possible reasons for the drop in the daily numbers of newly infected cases
after October 2014 in Liberia.
1g. [2 marks]
An antiviral drug, T-705, was tested in order to establish whether it has potential to treat
EVD. The graph shows the data from an in vitro trial of T-705 on cells that had been
infected with Ebola virus five days previously. Virus concentration and live cells are shown
as percentage of the control.
[Source: Oestereich, Lisa & Rieger, Toni & Neumann, Melanie & Bernreuther, Christian &
Lehmann, Maria & Krasemann,
Susanne & Wurr, Stephanie & Emmerich, Petra & de Lamballerie, Xavier & Ö lschlä ger,
Stephan & Gü nther, Stephan. (2014).
Evaluation of Antiviral Efficacy of Ribavirin, Arbidol, and T-705 (Favipiravir) in a Mouse
Model for Crimean-Congo
Hemorrhagic Fever. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 8. e2804.
10.1371/journal.pntd.0002804.]
Based on these data, outline the evidence that T-705 has potential to be used as a treatment
for EVD.
1h. [1 mark]
District administrators combatting the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa were assisted
by international organizations such as the World Health Organization, who provided data
on the progress of the epidemic. Suggest one other way in which international
organizations can assist with combatting an epidemic of Ebola.
2a. [1 mark]
Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spend the first years of their lives in the freshwater
lakes of Alaska before migrating to marine waters. Their first months in marine waters are
spent foraging and growing near the shore line. They then move to offshore regions of the
North Pacific Ocean for 2 to 3 years.
 
The graph shows fork length frequency of juvenile O. nerka caught during their first months
in marine waters in autumn 2008 and ocean age one O. nerka caught 15 months later
during winter 2009 in the North Pacific Ocean.
 

Identify the most frequent fork length for O. nerka caught during autumn 2008 and winter
2009.
Autumn 2008:
Winter 2009:
 
2b. [2 marks]
Distinguish between the fork lengths of O. nerka in autumn 2008 and winter 2009.
2c. [1 mark]
Suggest a reason for the variation in fork length of ocean age one O. nerka.
2d. [2 marks]
Protein content in O. nerka was measured to evaluate possible differences during their first
15 months at sea. The graph shows the relationship between fork length and total protein
content per O. nerka caught during autumn 2008 and winter 2009.

Compare the protein content for O. nerka caught during autumn 2008 and winter 2009.
 
2e. [1 mark]
Outline the difficulty in predicting the age of O. nerka from fork length.
2f. [1 mark]
Using the data, suggest one reason for the relationship between protein content and fork
length.
2g. [2 marks]
Scientists measured mercury levels in different fish. The table shows the results.
Compare the results shown in the table for monkfish and shark.
2h. [1 mark]
Suggest additional information that would be helpful in evaluating these data.
2i. [1 mark]
State which type of fish shows the most variation.
3a. [1 mark]
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a unicellular organism, Plasmodium.
Plasmodium is a parasite that spends part of its life in a mosquito and part in a human. The
mosquito transmits the Plasmodium to a human when it feeds on human blood. Mosquitoes
hatch in water and are flying insects as adults. In the country of Belize, where malaria is a
serious problem, studies have been made to determine what environmental factors affect
the incidence of the disease. 156 villages were studied over a ten-year period.
State the district where there is the highest number of villages with the highest incidence of
malaria.
3b. [2 marks]
Analyse the data in the map to find whether there is an association between rivers and the
incidence of malaria.
3c. [3 marks]
Each of the six districts of Belize was studied from 1989 to 1999.  The graph shows the
mean number of people in each district to be affected by malaria per year per 1000 people.
Compare the trends in incidence of malaria for Toledo and Corozal.
3d. [1 mark]
Suggest a reason for the decreases in the incidence of malaria from 1995  to 1999.
3e. [1 mark]
Suggest a reason why the incidence of malaria is so low in the Belize District.
3f. [1 mark]
The country of Belize has many different ecosystems. These ecosystems are shown in the
bar chart. The white bars indicate the total area within each ecosystem with the lowest
incidence of malaria. The dark grey bars indicate the total area within each ecosystem with
the highest incidence of malaria. The total area with an intermediate incidence of malaria is
not shown.
Besides farmland, identify which two ecosystems have the greatest total area with a high
incidence of malaria.
3g. [1 mark]
Predict with a reason, using the data, which district has most farmland.
3h. [4 marks]
Discuss whether malaria could be reduced by replacing farmland with natural ecosystems
and replacing broadleaf hill forest with mixed hill forest.

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