Covid-19 Flashcards
What is the structure of coronavirus?
- Single stranded envoloped RNA (positive)
- Has a spike glycoprotein
- Lipid bilayre
- Large
Membrane protein, envolope glycoprotein
Where did coronaviruses origionate from?
Bats
Passed to humans via other animals
Eg, Civet, Camel
How does the virus gain entry to humans?
- Transmission
2. Cell entry
How is coronavirus transmitted?
Droplets- Coughs and sneezes spreading mucus
Airborne- tiny particles that stay suspended for long times
What are the barriers to tranmission?
Covering coughs
Disinfecting surfaces
Ventilating rooms
Resp epi cells, trap in mucus
Ciliated cells sweep away
Immunological defences eg, IgA, nat killer cells
How does the virus enter cells?
Receptor mediated endocytosis
- Binding of virus to host via spike glycoprotein to ACE2 transmembrane protein
- Invagination of cell membrane around virus
- Endocytotic vesicle forms
- Realease of virus into cytoplasm (along with its enzymes & RNA for replication
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Headache/ Fever
- Myalgia
- Loss of taste/ smell
- Runny nose/ sneezing
What are the complications of coronavirus?
Pneumonia
Septic shock
Renal failure
Hemoptysis (coughing blood)
How do you diagnose coronavirus?
Using reverse transcriptase (quantative) PRC
Extract of RNA from sample converted to DNA to be amplified
What are the many varients of coronavirus?
Short lifecycle (10 hours) Viral RNA polymerases have a high error rate (doesn’t check for repliaction errors)
Means high chance of mutations occouring due to high error rate and fast replication rate
What are the treatment options?
Home; rest, fluids, painkillers
Hospital; Antivirals, breathing assistance
What are the vaccines available?
Viral vector- harmless virus that contains part of covid-19 genetic code. Eg, AstraZeneca
RNA- sympathetic version of covid-19 code Eg, Pfizer
Whole- Weakened or inactive form. Eg, CoronaVac
Protein subunit- fragments of spike protein. Eg, Novavax
