Influenza Flashcards
Payload of a virus
- contains the genome and enzymes necessary to initiate the first step in virus replication
Influenza overview
- Flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract (nose, mouth, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs)
- Highly infectious illness which spreads rapidly in closed communities
- Even people with mild or no symptoms can infect others
- Most cases in the UK occur during an 8 to 10 week period during the winter
what type of viruses are influenza viruses
orthomyxoviruses
orthomyxoviruses
- Spherical
- Enveloped
- Segmented, negative strand RNA genome
influenza genes
negative strand RNA genome
8 genes encoding 11 proteins, including 11 proteins including 3 RNA polymerases (high error rates)
what are the two surface antigens
Haemagglutinin and Neuraminidase
Haemagglutinin (H)- 18 types
Binds to the cell of the infected person
Neuraminidase (N)
types of influenza
Influenza A virus
Influenza B virus
Influenza C virus
Influenza A viruses
- Causes outbreaks most years and are the usual cause of epidemics and pandemics
- Live and multiply in many different animals and may spread between them
Influenza A: Natural host range
- Birds particularly wildfowls
- Swine
- Equine
- Marine mammals
Influenza A: Epidemiology
Antigenic shift and drift
Influenza B viruses
Tends to cause less severe disease and smaller outbreaks
Influenza B: natural host
Predominantly found in humans
influenza B: burden of disease
mainly children
influenza B: epidemiology
- Antigenic drift only
- 2 lineages cocirculate
Influenzas C
Mild disease without seasonality
Influenza C: Natural host range
- Humans
- Swine
Influenza C: epidemiology
- Antigen drift only
- Multiple variants