People with the same bacterial infection took a painkiller. One group also took an antibiotic. The table shows the mean results for each group.
Pain score: 0 = no pain; 10 = most severe pain.
| Time | Group | Mean pain score | Mean number of bacteria per mL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Painkiller only | 8 | 1 000 000 |
| Start | Painkiller and antibiotic | 8 | 1 000 000 |
| Day 3 | Painkiller only | 4 | 800 000 |
| Day 3 | Painkiller and antibiotic | 4 | 20 000 |
| Day 6 | Painkiller only | 3 | 500 000 |
| Day 6 | Painkiller and antibiotic | 1 | Less than 100 |
Compare the results for the two groups. Predict what could happen to the bacterial count and symptoms in the group taking both medicines if they took only the painkiller from day 3 onwards. Explain your prediction.
252 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 3.1 Communicable diseases, covering 3.1.1 Communicable (infectious) diseases, 3.1.2 Viral diseases, 3.1.3 Bacterial diseases, 3.1.4 Fungal diseases, 3.1.5 Protist diseases, 3.1.6 Human defence systems, 3.1.7 Vaccination, 3.1.8 Antibiotics and painkillers, and 3.1.9 Discovery and development of drugs. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.