Biotech and COVID Flashcards
Define Endemic disease
Constantly present in a population or region, with relatively low spread
Define Epidemic disease
Sudden increase in cases spreading through a large population
Define Pandemic disease
Sudden increase in cases across SEVERAL countries, continents, or the world
What is the most deadly/lethal pandemic that has occured?
HIV
What is Coronavirus?
- Single stranded RNA virus
- Enveloped viruses with RNA genome and a neclocapsid
- Four major types (α, β, γ and δ)
- Mainly infect animals
How many coronavirus can infect humans?
7
Explain anatomy of COVID-19
- Spike protein binds to ACE2 receptor
- Inflammatory response trigger
What are the 3 modes of COVID Transmission
- Contact Transmission
- Aerosol Transmission (large droplet)
- Airborne Transmission (small droplet)
What does R mean?
Basic reproductive number = the expected number of cases directly generated by one case in a population where all individuals are susceptible to infection
What was the R value of SARS Covid-19
0.19-1.08
Where was 90 direct infection representing 35.1% of the COVID cases by 3/10 detected with the same C2416T SNP variant?
Biotech Company Meeting from 2/26-27 of 2020
SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein binds to what?
SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein binds to the cell membrane protein angiotensin-
converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter human cells.
What are the 5 Variants of Concerns?
α (UK Variant), β, Gamma, Delta, Omicron (South Africa variant)
What is the highest basic reproductive number of a Covid Variant
R > 7 for COVID-19 Omicron variant
T/F: Omicron variant is more efficient in infection upper respiratory cells
TRUE!!!
Explain Nucleic Acid Test
- Using PCR/LAMP technology
to detect viral RNA - Sampled from nasal, oral swabs or saliva
- More sensitive and accurate than antibody & antigen test
- Positive result during early and active stage of infection
Explain Antigen Test
- Detect the presence of
antibody produced by
patient’s immune system - Sampled from blood
- less sensitive compared to nucleic acid test
- Positive result after 2-3
weeks of infection
What was the process of Vaccine Development for SARS-Cov2
6-9 months simultaneously for the Preclinical testing and Phase 1 of clinical testing
6-9 months simultaneously for phase 2 and phase 2 of clinical testing
Much faster than normal track!
What are the 4 main types of COVID vaccines?
- mRNA vaccine
- Vector vaccines
- Protein subunit vaccine
- Whole killed vaccines
With RNA vaccines answer the following:
- Targeting site:
- Manufacturing:
- Amplification:
- Stability:
- Delivery Substrate:
- Side effect:
- Examples:
- Targeting site: Cytoplasm
- Manufacturing: Fully synthetic
- Amplification: moderate
- Stability: low
- Delivery Substrate: PEG/Liposomes
- Side effect: low
- Examples: Pfizer and Moderna
With DNA vaccines answer the following:
- Targeting site:
- Manufacturing:
- Amplification:
- Stability:
- Delivery Substrate:
- Side effect:
- Examples:
-Targeting site: Nucleus
- Manufacturing: Requires cells/animals
- Amplification: high
- Stability: high
- Delivery Substrate: viral vector
- Side effect: moderate
- Examples: AZ and J&J
T/F: Pfizer efficacy drops in time
TRUE!
Define Remdesivir: Anti-viral therapy
acts as ATP analog and pseudo nucleic acid
that disrupt viral replication
Define Convalescent Plasma: Anti-viral therapy
neutralizing antibody from recovered patients (NIH study shows no significant benefit)
