Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 1BI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases
Full specification wording
Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines: 5.2 Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases
A communicable disease can be passed from one organism to another, because a pathogen such as a bacterium, virus, fungus or protist is transmitted between hosts.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1BI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 21
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
A communicable disease can be passed from one organism to another, because a pathogen such as a bacterium, virus, fungus or protist is transmitted between hosts. Examples include influenza spreading in droplets when someone coughs, and cholera spreading through contaminated water. A non-communicable disease cannot be transmitted between organisms; it arises from other causes such as genetics, lifestyle, diet or ageing. Examples include coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. The key distinction is transmission: communicable diseases have a transmissible causative agent, whereas non-communicable diseases do not spread from person to person. Some conditions have complex causes, but the examinable difference is whether the disease is passed on.
What earns the marks
- Communicable diseases are caused by pathogens that can be transmitted from one organism to another.
- Non-communicable diseases cannot be transmitted between organisms.
- Communicable diseases have a transmissible causative agent (bacterium, virus, fungus or protist).
- Non-communicable diseases arise from causes such as genetics, lifestyle, diet or ageing rather than transmission.
- Correctly classifying a named example, such as influenza as communicable and coronary heart disease as non-communicable.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Thinking all diseases are infectious.
Put it right: Non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes are not transmitted between people.
Assuming a disease is communicable because it is common.
Put it right: Frequency does not determine transmission; the causative agent and route matter.
Confusing a symptom with a cause.
Put it right: A symptom such as a cough does not make a disease communicable; the underlying pathogen does.
Exam tips
- Focus on the word transmission: state whether the disease can pass between organisms.
- Give one named example of each type to secure the classification point.
- Read the options carefully and eliminate any that describe symptoms rather than transmission.
Try the lesson
The start of the Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines: 5.2 Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
A student is told that a disease can be passed from one person to another. Which term describes this type of disease?
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