Communicable Diseases: JAMB Physical and Health Education Questions, Answers & Notes

What Communicable Diseases covers in the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus

A communicable disease is one that spreads from one person to another, caused by germs (pathogens) such as bacteria and viruses. They spread in several ways: by vectors (malaria by the bite of an infected mosquito; some diseases by houseflies landing on food), through contaminated water and food (cholera, typhoid), and through the air/droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes (tuberculosis, measles). They can be prevented by using treated mosquito nets (against malaria), drinking clean, boiled or treated water (against cholera and typhoid), good hygiene, covering the mouth when coughing, isolating people with highly infectious diseases, and immunisation (which protects against measles, polio and tuberculosis). The main point: communicable diseases spread by germs through air, water, food or vectors, and can be prevented by hygiene, clean water, mosquito nets and immunisation.

For Communicable Diseases, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Define communicable disease (spreads person to person via germs)
• Recall modes of spread (air/droplet, water, food, vectors) with examples (malaria, cholera, TB, measles)
• Recall prevention (mosquito nets, clean water, hygiene, covering coughs, isolation, immunisation)

Key facts & revision notes: Communicable Diseases

These are the recurring points our Communicable Diseases questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• A communicable disease is one that spreads from one person to another.
• Communicable diseases are caused by germs (pathogens) like bacteria and viruses.
• Malaria is spread by the bite of an infected (Anopheles) mosquito.
• Cholera is spread mainly through contaminated water and food.
• Tuberculosis is spread mainly through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• A disease spread through droplets from coughing or sneezing is spread by air (droplet infection).
• Using a treated mosquito net helps prevent malaria.
• Drinking clean, boiled or treated water helps prevent water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.
• Immunisation protects against diseases like measles, polio and tuberculosis.
• Covering the mouth when coughing helps prevent droplet (airborne) spread of disease.
• Isolating a person with a highly infectious disease helps prevent or reduce its spread.
• Houseflies can spread disease by landing on faeces and then on food (contaminated food).
• A communicable disease spreads person to person.
• Communicable diseases are caused by germs.
• Malaria is spread by mosquitoes.
• Cholera is spread through contaminated water.
• Tuberculosis is spread through the air.
• A mosquito net helps prevent malaria.
• Immunisation protects against measles and polio.
• The main point is that communicable diseases spread by germs (through air, water, food or vectors) and can be prevented by hygiene, clean water, mosquito nets and immunisation.

Worked examples

Three Communicable Diseases questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Communicable Diseases is tested in JAMB Physical and Health Education

Our Communicable Diseases bank holds 20 questions (4 easy, 13 medium, 3 hard). JAMB Physical and Health Education typically returns to Communicable Diseases year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Communicable Diseases questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Communicable Diseases. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Physical and Health Education item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Communicable Diseases is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Communicable Diseases

The errors that cost marks on Communicable Diseases are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Communicable Diseases actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Communicable Diseases part of the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus?

Yes. Communicable Diseases is a recognised topic in the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus, covering define communicable disease (spreads person to person via germs). You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Communicable Diseases questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 20 original, JAMB-standard Communicable Diseases questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Communicable Diseases?

A communicable disease is one that spreads from one person to another, caused by germs (pathogens) such as bacteria and viruses. They spread in several ways: by vectors (malaria by the bite of an infected mosquito; some diseases by houseflies landing on food), through contaminated water and food (ch…

How do I answer Communicable Diseases questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Communicable Diseases. Practising timed Communicable Diseases questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Physical and Health Education Communicable Diseases questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Communicable Diseases questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Communicable Diseases practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Physical and Health Education syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.