Influenza

Question 1

Influenza A classification

Answer 1

Envoloped, ssRNA-, class 5

198 sub types of Influenza A

Question 2

M1 Protein

Answer 2

Structural protein - 3000 of these make up the viral capsid.

Question 3

M2 Protein

Answer 3

Ion channel essential for viral uncoating and escape from the endosome when entering a cell.

Question 4

Haemagglutinin

Answer 4

Glycoprotein responsible for binding sialic acid receptors on host cells.

Question 5

Neuraminidase

Answer 5

Glycoprotein responsible for cleaning sialic acid, allowing viral escape.

Question 6

Entry and uncoating of Influenza

Answer 6

Virus binds to sialic acid which acidifies it.

Fusion peptide is then expressed which fuses with the membrane into an endosome.

vRNPs are released into the cell.

Question 7

Symptoms of Influenza

Answer 7

Fever, chills, cough, body aches, can develop pneumonia.

Question 8

Antigenic drift

Answer 8

Person 1 is infected with a wild type Influenza which mutates in a specific site. This is then passed on to person 2 where the virus mutates in another site.

This keeps happening over years, meaning the relatedness to the original antibody decreases massively.

Question 9

Antigenic shift

Answer 9

Two different strains of virus combine to form a new subtype. Occurs at intervals of 11-41 years.

Question 10

Vaccination of Influenza

Answer 10

Killed egg-grown subunit vaccine.

Live attenuated vaccine.

Antivirals (M2 channel inhibitors etc).