Influenza Flashcards
When does seasonal influenza occur?
Northern hemisphere = Dec-Feb
Southern Hemisphere = Jun-Aug
What relation doe s severe epidemics of influenza and increased sunspot activity have in common?
Occur every 11 years
What is the sun’s radiation role in influenza?
It is believed the sun’s radiation may cause mutations leading to antigenic shifts in viral RNA
What is vitamin D role in viral infections?
It is believed an increased level of Vitamin D helps to prevent viral infection
When did the Spanish flu pandemic occur?
1918-1919 = 20-100million deaths
When did the Asian flu pandemic occur?
1957-1958 = 1-1.5million deaths
When did the Hong Kong flu pandemic occur?
1968-1969 = 0.75-1 million deaths
When did the Swine flu pandemic occur?
2009-2010 = Approx 285,000 deaths
What type of virus is influenza?
RNA virus with an 8 segment genome
From what family is the influenza virus?
Influenza is an RNA virus from the Orthomyxoviridae family
What are the three main groups of influenza?
Type A = 1933
Type B = 1939
Type C = 1950
Which influenza infect mammals and birds?
Type A
Which influenza only infects humans?
Type B and Type C
What part of the influenza virus facilitates viral attachment and entry to host cell?
Haemagglutinin (H antigen)
How many different Haemagglutinin (H antigens) are there in influenza?
18 different Haemagglutin antigens (H1-3 in humans)
What part of the influenza virus enables new visions to be released from host cells?
Neuraminidase (N antigen)
How many different Neuraminidase (N antigens) are there in influenza?
11 different Neuraminidase antigens (N antigens)
What is Antigenic drift?
A mechanism of genetic variation within the virus cased by small on going point mutations in the genes coding for antibody binding sites
What is antigenic drift effect on the immune system?
Small mutations in the genes coding for antibody binding sites leads to the immune system not being able to combat the virus as well
What effect does antigenic drift have on vaccination?
Causes worse than normal epidemics & vaccine mismatch
A viruses with RNA or DNA genes more likely to undergo mutations?
RNA e.g. Influenza
Which strains does the influenza vaccine contain?
two A strains and one B strain - They are changed on a yearly basis dependant on the virus genetic drift
What allows one flu strain to jump from one animal species to another?
Antigenic shift
What is antigenic shift?
When two or more different strains of a virus combine to form a new subtype, resulting in new H/N combinations
“Reassortment of the virus’ gene segments”
What does antigenic shift often lead to?
Pandemics e.g. Bird flu/Swine Flu
The 2009/2010 influenza pandemic possessed which H/N antigens?
H1N1
Where did the 2009/2010 influenza pandemic originate?
In March 17th the first case as seen of the H1N1 influenza variant.
The first case in USA was identified March 28th
H1N1 was identified by the CDC April 14th
What is the main differences between seasonal flu and pandemic flu?
1) Seasonal = Every winter
Pandemic = Sporadic
2) Seasonal = 10-15% of the population
Pandemic = >25% of the population
3) Seasonal = Unpleasant but not life-threatening
Pandemic = More serious, more complications
What are the requirement of a pandemic?
1) Human pathogenicity
2) “New” virus (antigenic shift) - Susceptible population
3) Efficient person-person transmission
What are the characteristics of a pandemic?
“a new virus, a spike of cases outside the usual influenza season,
and a clear shift in the age distribution of illness and death”
What percentage of the UK population were infected with the H1N1 influenza virus in the 2009/2010 pandemic?
30% of the UK population
What percentage of the UK population infected with the H1N1 influenza virus in the 2009/2010 pandemic has mild symptoms?
82.7-82.9%
What percentage of the UK population infected with the H1N1 influenza virus in the 2009/2010 pandemic died?
0.1%-0.35% fatality rate (457 deaths)