Exam 4

Question 1

FluMist

Answer 1

a nasal spray vaccine for the flu
contains live, weakened viruses
causes a small-scale infection
produces CTLs in addition to antibodies

Question 2

H protein

Answer 2

one of the kinds of proteins in influenza’s envelope
it is the spike protein
it is when this protein mutates and the proteins match human cell’s receptors that we can acquire influenza viruses from animals

Question 3

H3N2

Answer 3

the usual seasonal human flu virus
has mutated into many strains
can infect human, other mammals, and birds

Question 4

N protein

Answer 4

one of the kinds of proteins in influenza’s envelope
an anti-attachment protein
cuts off the host cell’s receptors so budding flu viruses do not reattach

Question 5

Tamiflu

Answer 5

inhibits N protein
ultimately causes new viruses to be “absorbed” by the cell they just budded off of
not very effective - only shortens duration of flu by a day or two

Question 6

Anopheles

Answer 6

the breed of mosquitoes that can carry malaria
only the females carry it
the disease is in its dormant state in infected female mosquitoes of this breed

Question 7

chloroquine

Answer 7

one of the drugs available to treat malaria
kills Plasmodium
very expensive, however
can be used when doing short term mission trips, but not long term

Question 8

DDT

Answer 8

a pesticide that kills the mosquitoes that carry Plasmodium
used in Europe and US for years until it was claimed that it was hurting the environment
no longer permitted for use
now only option is insecticide-treated bed nets in countries that did not have DDT

Question 9

gametocyte

Answer 9

sometimes formed by merozoites
remain in red blood cells
picked up by another mosquito biting an infected person and then getting sucked up
enters the mosquito’s intestines and then pairs fuse to form zygotes - starting the process all over again

Question 10

merozoite

Answer 10

second stage of Plasmodium
infect the RBCs
feed on cytoplasm in RBCs to multiply
waves produced every 2-3 days
cause infected RBCs to lyse after the 2-3 days, infect more
each time a group of RBCs rupture symptoms occur

Question 11

Plasmodium

Answer 11

the protozoan that causes malaria
different stages: sporozoite, merozoite, gametocyte
lives inside female Anopheles mosquitoes

Question 12

protozoan

Answer 12

single celled
eucaryotic organisms
have multiple pairs of chromosomes
have various organelles
malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium

Question 13

sporozoite

Answer 13

the first stage of Plasmodium
this is what gets injected into a human host by an infected Anopheles mosquito
dormant, spore-like stage
injected through the saliva of the mosquito

Question 14

antigenic variation

Answer 14

the ability to avoid immune system recognition by mutating genes and altering antigens
HIV does this
flu viruses do this
means that the antigens change and the immune system cannot recognize them, meaning you can be reinfected

Question 15

base analog

Answer 15

one method of treating HIV
example: AZT
blocks the copying of DNA templates into DNA copies
also stops all cells from doing this, causing symptoms similar to chemotherapy

Question 16

CD4+ cells

Answer 16

also known as helper T lymphocytes
these are the cells that HIV infects
these are lysed directly or indirectly, multiplication of B cells and CTLs is stopped

Question 17

co-factor

Answer 17

something that helps HIV cause AIDS
could be a second virus, bacterial infection
could be something that suppresses the immune system, like nutritional deficiency

Question 18

dementia

Answer 18

memory loss and other mental dysfunction
often displayed by terminal stage AIDS patients
possibly due to infection of brain cells by HIV or by other opportunistic viruses

Question 19

HIV

Answer 19

a typical polyhedral virus w/ envelope containing spike proteins
can cause lytic infections as well as latent infections
opportunistic
infects CD4+ cells
also able to infect other cells - like brain cells and macrophages

Question 20

HIV screening

Answer 20

testing donated blood for HIV
done by testing for antibodies to HIV
called an immunological test

Question 21

hybrid virus

Answer 21

part HIV, part harmless virus (like cold virus)
HIV part ensures the production of CTLs to HIV antigens
harmless virus part ensures that the hybrid virus is able to infect human cells weakly

Question 22

Kaposi’s sarcoma

Answer 22

one of the cancers associated with AIDS
cancer of the cells lining the body
initially may cause dark splotches on the skin
later affects the inside linings of the body - like stomach and intestines

Question 23

lymphoma

Answer 23

one of the cancers associated with AIDS
cancer of lymphocytes
immature lymphocytes are produced
lack receptors for antigens so they are useless in helping fight infections

Question 24

Pneumocytis pneumonia

Answer 24

most common fungal infection in AIDS patients
fungal spores enter lungs, germinate and begin to reproduce
body sends many neutrophils and blood to lungs to combat fungi
lungs become inflamed and “swollen” and fill with blood
patient asphyxiates

Question 25

polyprotein

Answer 25

a corresponding chain of proteins produced from translated mRNA in HIV
individual proteins must be cut apart from polyprotein in order to be used as spike proteins, capsid proteins, etc.
we can target this with protease inhibitors to help treat HIV

Question 26

protease inhibitors

Answer 26

an antiviral treatment
prevents protease from cutting individual proteins from polyprotein
resistance can be expected as protease gene mutates, however

Question 27

BCG

Answer 27

a vaccine made of attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis
not been used in the US for long time because:
(1) eliminates easiest diagnostic test, skin test
(2) easy to rely on antibiotics for the few cases that have popped up
(3) unpredictable effectiveness

Question 28

consumption

Answer 28

another name for TB
called this because as the immune system weakens, the latent infection will become active again
coughing resumes and takes energy, makes it hard for patient to sleep, further weakening patient
patient begins to slowly waste away, or become “consumed”

Question 29

latent TB

Answer 29

this is what comes from having a weak immune system
the bacteria is not killed, just kept confined by the walls of the tubercles
conditions inside the tubercles prevent multiplication or any damage
there are no symptoms

Question 30

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Answer 30

the bacteria that causes TB
more pathogenic than opportunistic
must get into the lungs and evade macrophages located beneath the mucous membrane
generation time: 18-24 hours
have a wax layer in addition to the plasma membrane
very few antibiotics are effective against this bacteria

Question 31

TB skin test

Answer 31

looks for specific evidence of exposure to M. tuberculosis
a tiny part of the cell wall is poked just beneath the skin on the arm
you are sent home for two days
if the immune system has seen this before it will cause some inflammation
not always so clear-cut

Question 32

tubercle

Answer 32

when macrophages form solid walls around places where TB bacteria is living
may be as large as marbles
hard and solid, able to be identified on a chest x-ray
purpose is to prevent the spread of bacteria to other areas of the lungs and to hopefully phagocytose them

Question 33

wax layer

Answer 33

unique layer around M. tuberculosis
aids in it surviving inside phagosomes and resisting antibiotics
basically an “armor-plating”