Influenza

Question 1

what type of virus is the influenza virus?

Answer 1

RNA virus

Question 2

what are the 2 surface proteins of the influenza virus?

Answer 2

haemagglutinin,

neuraminidase

Question 3

what is haemagglutinin’s function?

Answer 3

facilitates viral attachment and entry to the host cell

Question 4

what is neuraminidase’s function?

Answer 4

enables new viron to be released from the host cell

Question 5

what is worse antigenic shift or drift?

Answer 5

shift as there is major change in the virus allowinf it to jump between species.

Question 6

what are the requirements for a pandemic?

Answer 6

human pathogenicity,
antigenic shift,
efficient person-person transmission

Question 7

clinical features of influenza?

Answer 7

fever, 
cough, 
sore throat, 
myalgia, 
headache, 
malaise,
n/v,
diarrhoea

Question 8

risk factors for complicated influenza?

Answer 8

chronic disease, 
DM, 
severe immunosuppresion, 
>65,
pregnant, 
<6months, 
morbid obesity

Question 9

common complications of influenza

Answer 9

acute bronchitis,

secondary bacterial pneumonia

Question 10

less common complications of influenza

Answer 10

primary viral pneumonia, 
resp failure, 
myocarditis, 
Guillain-Barre,
myositis and myoglobinuria

Question 11

what is encephalitis lethargica?

Answer 11

"sleepy disease",
post influenza A,
fever,
headache, 
lethargy, 
sleep reversal, 
external opthalmoplegia

Question 12

investigations for influenza?

Answer 12

viral nose and throat swabs, 
CXR,
blood culture, 
pulse oximetry,
RR,
U&Es,
FBC,
CRP

Question 13

Red flag for secondary to influenza bacterial pneumonia?

Answer 13

flu symptoms and a fever for >4 days

Question 14

neuraminidase inhibitors used for influenza?

Answer 14

oseltamivir,

zanamivir

Question 15

antivirals used in influenza?

Answer 15

peramivir,
favipiravir,
baloxavir marboxi