11 Viruses (3) Flashcards
What percent of all cases of human “gastroenteritis” are due to viruses?
~70%
Name the 4 main types of enteric viruses?
- Rotavirus
- Adenovirus
- Astrovirus
- Caliciviruses
Which of the 4 GI viruses are usually responsible for diarrhea in kids under 5 yrs?
Rotavirus
This GI virus mainly affects kids under 2 yrs.
Adenovirus
Who does the rotavirus usually affect? What symptom(s) often accompany it?
Kids under 5 yrs. It usually causes diarrhea in them.
Who is usually affected by the adenovirus?
Kids under 2 years
This GI virus usually affects ALL ages in the winter months.
Astrovirus
This GI virus usually affects ALL ages all year round.
Caliciviruses
All types of enteric viruses share two things in common:
- Mainly transmitted via FECAL-ORAL route
2. Disease progression is similar
How long does it take to first see the symptoms of enteric viruses?
1-3 days
Term for the period of time that it takes to see symptoms of a virus?
“incubation period”
Enteric viruses cause some common symptoms. Name 4.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
In a healthy ind, for how long do enteric viruses usually infect their hosts?
3-4 days
Why is it difficult to tell which enteric virus an individual has just based on outward symptoms?
Because the symptoms associated w/ most types of enteric viruses are v. similar (i.e. they all cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, etc.)
i.e. They all cause the same symptoms
A patient has more diarrhea than anything else. What kind of enteric virus does he have?
a. Rotavirus
b. Adenovirus
c. Astrovirus
d. Caliciviruses
e. Cannot tell from info given
e.
[ALL of them cause diarrhea. We need lab testing to tell which specific virus is involved]
Norovirus (aka. Norwalk virus) is part of what category of enteric viruses?
Calicivirus
What kind of virus is the norovirus? (i.e. nucleic acid type and naked/enveloped)
Naked RNA virus
How many infants and adults are infected by the norovirus each year in the US?
How many deaths does it cause each year?
Infants: 3.5 mill cases
Adults: 9.2 mill cases
Deaths: 30-50
What’s the usual source of norovirus?
Fecal-contaminated food/water
About how many virus particles of norovirus are needed to cause disease?
10-100 (very low infectious dose)
T or F: Norovirus-contaminated water has a characteristic odour, but looks completely normal.
F
It has no characteristic odour nor appearance
Most likely place for a norovirus outbreak to occur?
Long-term care facility
What defines an “outbreak” of norovirus?
> 2 confirmed cases linked by common exposure/location over a specific time period
Describe how noroviruses infect intestinal epithelial cells and cause the associated symptoms.
- Viruses attach to intestinal epithelial cells
- Viruses enter intestinal epithelial cells
- Viruses replicate in the intestinal epithelial cells
- Lytic infection cycle destroys host intestinal epithelial cells
- New viruses get released into FECES > re-transmission via oral-fecal route made possible
- Localized damage to gut epithelium > nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea (due to loss of absorptive ability)
Does long term, protective immunity develop after being infected w/ the norovirus?
No
Symptoms of norovirus are usually more severe in these two pops:
- V. young
2. V. old
How long does a norovirus cause diarrhea, vomiting, etc.?
1-5 days
What’s the main clinical concern of norovirus?
Severe dehydration
How can the dehydration that accompanies norovirus infections be mitigated?
- Fluid replacement
2. OTC oral rehydration salts
For how long after norovirus symptoms disappear can an ind remain infectious (i.e. continue to shed virus)?
2 weeks
Best way to avoid norovirus infection?
Maintain good hygeine
What 4 characteristics about the norovirus makes it a “perfect human pathogen”?
- Lots of new viruses are shed into the feces, even after symptoms have resolved
- Low infectious dose (i.e. easy to acquire)
- No long-term immunity
- Self-limiting; non-lethal > constant pool of new hosts
Viruses that infect the central nervous system are also called…
“neurotropic” viruses