Question 1: Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms, many of which can cause disease in humans. They are neither plants, animals, nor fungi but share characteristics with these groups. Understanding their mechanisms of infection helps in developing treatments and prevention strategies.

Answer: Protists are eukaryotic microorganisms that are not classified as plants, animals, or fungi, and some can cause diseases in humans.

Question 1: What is a key characteristic that distinguishes protists from bacteria?

Answer: Protists are eukaryotic cells with a true nucleus, whereas bacteria are prokaryotic and lack a nucleus.

Question 2: Name one protist that acts as a pathogen and briefly describe its mechanism of causing disease.

Answer: Plasmodium causes malaria by invading red blood cells after transmission through mosquito bites.

Question 1: A study recorded the number of malaria cases in a region over five years: 2019 - 1500 cases, 2020 - 1800 cases, 2021 - 1700 cases, 2022 - 1600 cases, 2023 - 1900 cases. Calculate the percentage increase in cases from 2019 to 2023.

Answer: Percentage increase = ((1900 - 1500) / 1500) × 100 = (400 / 1500) × 100 ≈ 26.67%

Question 2: Based on the data, what trend can be observed in the number of malaria cases over the five years? Provide a brief explanation.

Answer: The cases generally increased over the five years, indicating a rising trend in malaria infections.

Question 1: Describe an experiment to test whether a certain chemical inhibits the growth of a protist in a laboratory setting. Include the independent, dependent, and control variables.

Answer: An experiment could involve culturing protists in identical conditions, adding the chemical to one group (experimental) and none to another (control). The independent variable is the presence or absence of the chemical. The dependent variable is the growth rate of protists, measured by cell count. Control variables include temperature, pH, and nutrient levels to ensure only the chemical varies.

Question 1: Explain how understanding the biology of protists has contributed to the development of malaria treatments.

Answer: Studying the life cycle and biology of Plasmodium has led to targeted drugs and prevention strategies, such as antimalarial medications and mosquito control measures.

Question 2: Multiple Choice: Which of the following is a common method used to prevent the spread of protist diseases like malaria?

Answer: Using insecticide-treated bed nets