Micro Forensics Test Flashcards
Examples of non infectious disease
Cancer, diabetes, immune system diseases
Epidemic of Athens of 430 B.C.
-Originated in Ethiopia
-Incurable
-Not water-borne
-Symptoms: Headache, inflamed eyes, mouth bleeding, and infected lungs
When did the majority of deadliest human pathogens arise?
Around 10,000 years ago.
What does zoonotic mean?
Arise from animals
Why did pathogens not spread around to early humans?
Because humans lived far apart, the pathogen would either kill or all members became immune.
Fitness
The reproductive contribution of an individual to the next generation.
Biocrime
A crime committed with a biological weapon.
Biosecurity
Set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases.
Public Health
The science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting the health of the population through the organized efforts of informed choice of society
Microbio Forensics
Application of science to identify the source of a natural or intentional disease outbreak or intoxication.
Diseases diagnostics
Usually just involves class evidence
Microbial Forensics
Individual evidence
Chain of Custody
Maintaining the continuity of possession of evidence
Detection
-Culture-dependent methods: culture the virus and or bacteria
-Culture-independent methods: Electron microscopy, DNA sequencing, antibody testing.
What is needed for identification
- Database
- Precise analytical method
- Precise classification system
Epidemiology
Identifies transmission chains and source of an outbreak. Can help determine if there was a bioterrorist attack or natural outbreak.
What is a profile tool to detect an outbreak early?
Social Media
Bionformatics
The application of statistics and computer science to the field of molecular biology.
Fort Detrick
U.S. Army Medical Command Installation, houses USAMRIID laboratory
1989 Reston Ebola Case
Peter Jahrling was the virologist who received the pathogen sniffed it along with intern Thomas Geisbert.
Viruses
Can replicate, but have no metabolism. Consist of Nucleic Acids, Capsid proteins, and lipid envelope.
Baltimore Classification
I: dsDNA viruses
II: ssDNA viruses
III: dsRNA viruses
IV: (+)ssRNA viruses
V: (-)ssRNA viruses (flu, Ebola, and MArburg)
VI: ssRNA-RT viruses (HIV virus)
Biosafety level 1
Suitable for work for well-characterized agents
Biosafety level 2
Used for pathogens that only cause mild disease in humans, difficult to contract via aerosol.
Biosafety level 3
Used for working potentially lethal and airborne pathogens for which treatment exists.
Biosafety level 4
High risk of aerosol transmission. Can cause fatal diseases in humans in which there is no treatment or vaccine available.
Antigen
Any substance which provokes an adaptive immune response
Antibody
A large Y-shape protein that binds components of bacteria and viruses and neutralizes
Fluorescent-antibody technique (FA)
The antigen is dried on a glass slide, patient’s serum is incubated with the antigen on the slide. Fluorescent tag is added on to the antibody that binds to the antigen
How does Ebola work?
The primary product of an unedited transcript of the glycoprotein, which yields a smaller non structural glycoprotein that distracts the antibodies
Contact tracing
Identification and diagnosis of people who have come in contacted with someone infected
Transmission Chains
The order of individuals that a disease infects
Vaccine
Either a live or attenuated virus or bacterium that is administered to healthy people before exposure to a pathogen.
Ring Vaccination
Creating a ring of vaccinated people around an outbreak, (by identifying people through contact tracing) to stop the spread of disease.
ZMAPP
A combination of three chimeric monoclonal antibodies produced in tobacco plants.
Variola
Smallpox virus (humans only)
Hemagglutinin
Only interacts with sialic acids on the cell surface of hosts or tissues. Fusion of viral membrane with the host endosomal membrane releases virus into the cytoplasm.
Antigen drift
Mutations in HA or NA leading to shifts in antibody recognition capability
Antigen Shift
Reassortment of virus particles leading to new pandemic strains
