Unit 3: Influenza Flashcards
What is the structure of influenza?
Influenza is a enveloped negative sense RNA virus
What is the course of disease in the host of influenza?
Ill for 2 to 3 weeks
infections for 48 hours after and before first symptoms
What is immunosenescence?
Decreased immunity, may be idiopathic or caused by other internal and external factors.
Why do children have a weaker immune system?
Newborn - that do not breast feed, lower levels of passive immunity from mother, lack Il-7 so delayed thymus maturation.
Thymus and adaptive immune response are not fully mature until age 8
lack memory immunity as very little previous exposure to pathogens
May not yet be vaccinated
Poorly developed GIT (aided by colosutrum) low gut microflora
Reduced levels of cytokine expression - such as TNFalpha and IL-2
Why do elderly have a weaker immune system?
Thymus shrinks from puberty onwards - reduce maturation of T-lymphocytes lead to lower levels of adpative immune response
More likely to have taken antibiotics reduce natural mouth/gut flora
Reduced macrophage and chemotaxis activity
Reduced levels of somatic hypermutation
Red bone marrow is progressivly replaced by yellow bone marrow - less production of blood cells
What antivirals can be used against influenza?
Oseltamavir - prevents neuroaminidase catalysed cleavage
Acyclovir - inhibits RNA and DNA polymerases
What are the different vaccination types against influenza?
Nasal spray - live pathogen vaccine given to children
Injection - inactivated pathogen - given to over 50s and pregnant women
What different groups of people that qualify for influenza vaccines?
Immunocompromised/clinically vulnerable
Pregnanct
Children - aged2 to 10yrs
Above 50yrs
Children aged 12-17yrs with a long term health condition
Carers for the vulnerable
What are the symptoms on influenza? And the biology behind them
Fever - hypothalamus adjusts homeostatis goal to help denature viral proteins and fight infection
Cough - increased mucus production and cough reflex as a barrier defence against pathogen, may cough up mucus
Headache - mucus membrane in the nasal cavity and sinuses become inflammed, increase pressure around the face and eyes. Heat causes vasodilation in brain.
Sore throat - inflammation in the throat, build up of mucus
Shortness of breath - from damaged epithelial cells in the airway often filled with mucus
Myalgia - cytokine associated inflammation, IL-6 released by macrophages need cleaning up.
Runny nose - increase mucus,
What are the common secondary infections after infleunza? Why?
Weekend physical barriers from inflammation. Normal flora better able to colonize and potentially enter the blood stream.
More sites for adhesion and less protection against this.
More vulnerable to bacterial and viral infections - typically pneumonia or opportunistic pathogens such as if staphylococcus aureus admitted into a hospital.
What health conditions are relevant to influenza?
Respiratory conditions - asthma, COPD, greater risk of pulomary complications
HIV or reduced immunity - greater risk
Diabetes - increased glucose to fight infection, not utilised b insulin, lead to ketoacidosis
Kidney disease - cytokine accumulation
Neurological condition
What symptoms differentiate flue from the common cold?
Fever - the more noticeable higher temperature in flu
Flu may have shortness of breath which is very uncommon in the common cold.
What symptoms differentiate flu from RSV?
RSV has a longer incubation period (4 to 6 days compared to flu 2), then symptoms develop more gradual one at a time, flu more rapid with all symptoms near start.
More likley to have a diahorrea and headache from flu
What is the role of a district nurse?
Provides care in the community, visit the patient at home or host oppointments in the GP surgery.
- change dressing and clean wounds
- adminster medication
- may help the patient with daily tasks
- monitor for signs of decline or new symptoms
- provide vaccination services for patient unable to get to a centre
-refer to occupational therapist
- help patients stay out of care homes and hospitals.
What are the different support services for elderly accessing healthcare?
GP Home visits
District nurses
Care homes - some funding from local authority depending on income
Voluntary organisations - safe shoppers during COVID-19
Attendance allowance and personal independent payment - help with financial cost of illness
May qualify for £1000 bursary for home adaptations
NHS continuing health care assessment - personal health budget, funded care home or support at home
