Influenza Flashcards
What contributed to the higher mortality rates seen in influenza patients in the early 1900’s.
They thought ASA was helpful so they loaded patients up
What was the huge downfall of the swine flu vaccine in the 1970’s?
There were multiple documented cases of GBS
Influenza A infects who?
People and animals
Which strain of influenza causes pandemics?
Influenza A
Two surface proteins on influenza
- Hemagluttinin
* Neuraminidase
Genetic material of influenza?
RNA
How is influenza transmitted?
Large droplets (small droplets, which stay suspended in the air, is not sufficient)
What are the symptoms of influenza?
- Fever
- HA
- Cough
- Sore throat (sometimes)
- NO N/V/D
How long does it take to make a new flu vaccine?
9 months
How does influenza typically kill people?
Secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia (staph and strep) • Myositis and rhabdomyolysis • MI • Encephalitis • Reye's syndrome
What is unique about the bird flu H5N1?
- Affects primarily young people
- Very high mortality rate – 60%
- Usually die 2° respiratory illness, but sometimes diarrhea
- Very little person to person transmission
What do they grow flu vaccine in?
Eggs
Why is the ELISA flu test (rapid antigen test) not the best flu test?
60% sensitive
What is the gold standard for flu diagnosis?
- Viral culture (but takes days)
* Reverse transcriptase-PCR is a better test than antigen test and faster than viral culture
What two influenza drugs are used today?
- Oseltamivir (tamiflu)
- Zanamivir
- Reduce symptoms 1-2 days
Who is influenza vaccine most effective in?
Children, which is good because they spread the virus the most
How are influenza A outbreaks named?
- Where they are identified
- Lineage number
- Year isolated
Why does influenza have a high mutation rate?
Because they are RNA viruses? Change their sequence of H1 and N1 proteins from year to year in a process called antigenic drift.
What is unique about each gene of influenza?
It’s located on a separate strain of RNA
How can influenza viruses easily gain new genes?
When the virus envelope is formed, gene segments from different viruses that have infected the same cell can be incorporated into the virus
When a virus acquires a NEW hemagglutinin or neuraminidase what is this process called?
Antigenic shift
Where did influenza come from (which animal)?
Duck
What strain of influenza was found in Indiana in 12-13?
H3N2 (people in close contact with pigs)
Why do we need new flu vaccines every year (shift or drift)?
Drift
