26. Viral Infections

Question 1

Explain Coxsackie viruses

Answer 1

• enteroviruses - RNA viruses
• several subspecies type A and B
• highly infectious
• common in children
• transmitted by nasopharyngeal secretions or faecal-oral spread
• causes herpangina and hant, foot and mouth

Question 2

Cause, symptoms and treatment of herpangina

Answer 2

• caused by Coxsackieviruses A2,4,5,6 a
  nd 8
• common in children
• causes fever, headache, sore throat
• oropharyngitis
• multiple small vesicles 1-2mm diameter on tonsils, soft palate and uvula
• lasting 3-4 days
• treatment of bed rest, maintaining hydration and use of antiseptic mouthwash

Question 3

Cause and symptoms of hand foot and mouth disease

Answer 3

• caused by Coxsackieviruses A16
• common in children
• headache, malaise and sore throat
• classic distribution of lesions on hand feet and mouth
• cutaneous lesions transient, 1-3 days (symptoms resolve after 7-10 days)
• oral lesions bright red macules which later form grey vesicle

Question 4

What are paramyxoviruses?
4 groups

Answer 4

• enveloped RNA viruses
• parainfluenza virus
• measles virus
• mumps virus
• respiratory syncytial virus

Question 5

Cause and symptoms of measles

Answer 5

• mainly in children spread through droplet infection
• highly infectious - transmission in respiratory secretions and urine - permanent immunity after infection
• signs are fever and characteristic rash

Question 6

Dental signs of measles

Answer 6

• Koplik’s spots
• red dots

Question 7

Treatment of measles

Answer 7

• rest
• painkillers
• increased fluid uptake

Question 8

Complication of measles virus infection

Answer 8

• respiratory complications - bronchipneumonia
• neurological complications

Question 9

How is mumps spread?

Answer 9

• highly infectious
• in saliva
• incubation of up to 21 days

Question 10

Symptoms of mumps

Answer 10

• headache
• malaise
• fever
• loss of appetite
• painful swelling of parotid gland

Question 11

Complications of mumps

Answer 11

• severe and prolonged malaise
• orchitis or oophoritis
• pancreatitis

Question 12

Explain HPV - human papillomavirus

Answer 12

• large family of double stranded DNA virus
• over 170 types and 30 are transmitted sexually
• many HPV infections asymptomatic
• some cause squamous papillomas/warts or localised epithelial proliferations
• accepted association of HPV with cervical cancer
• implicated in aetiology of oropharyngeal carcinoma

Question 13

Presentation of HPV

Answer 13

• oral warts
• small cauliflower like spiked or raised lesions