Sketchy Micro: Bunyavirus

Question 1

What kind of virus is Bunyavirus?

Answer 1

• Negative-sense ssRNA (like the moon over Paul Bunyan’s shoulder and the orange glow of the mountains)
• Enveloped (like Paul’s flowing shirt)
• Segmented (like the three stumps with circular rings – because the segments are circular)

Question 2

What is unique about the Bunyavirus envelope?

Answer 2

It is derived from the Golgi body.

Think of the GOLd robe that Paul is wearing to remind yourself of the GOLgi body.

Question 3

Most of the viruses in the Bunyavirus family are _____________.

Answer 3

arboviruses (like the wooden arbor in the background)

Question 4

There is an important Bunyavirus that is not an arbovirus: _______________.

Answer 4

Hantavirus, which is rodent-borne

(Think of the rodents kicking their feces at Paul. Also, a couple of the mice have died and their ghosts are HAuNTing Paul –get it?)

Question 5

What symptoms characterize Hantavirus?

Answer 5

• Capillary leak (like the sweaty spots on Paul’s chest)
• Pre-renal azotemia (like the uncapped kidney-shaped bottle on Paul’s hip: because he didn’t cap it, it doesn’t have enough volume… just like pre-renal azotemia)
• Hemorrhagic fever (Paul is sweating and leaving a trail of blood from his axe)

Question 6

What two arboviruses do we need to know in the Bunyavirus family?

Answer 6

• California encephalitis
• Rift Valley fever

(Think of the California Rift Valley Elementary School alongside Paul’s path.)

Question 7

What symptoms are typical of California encephalitis and Rift Valley fever?

Answer 7

Seizures (like the shaking children) and encephalitis (like the teacher’s turban)

Question 8

California encephalitis and Rift Valley fever are transmitted by _____________.

Answer 8

the Aedes mosquito (like the kids being bitten by mosquitoes)