Viruses I - RNA and V. Hepatitis - KMS Flashcards
What mechanism do viruses have for energy production?
They don’t.
As obligate intracellular parasites, they pirate the resources of the host.
Will a single stranded, positive sense RNA virus need special viral proteins in order to infect the host cell once it gains entry? What viral enzyme must it synthesize to proliferate?
+RNA = positive reading frame
Viral genome in this case is much like host cell mRNA, and can start hijacking host transcription machinery immediately.
+RNA viruses must make an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzyme in order to make new copies of their genome and proliferate
Will a negative sense single stranded RNA virus need to have special viral enzymes in the viral particle in order to infect the host cell once it gains entry?
(-) RNA virus will need to be packaged with a viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase in order to make copies of its genome with the right reading frame - positive sense RNA copies. Once these copies are made, they can be fed into the host cell’s transcription machinery.
(Enzyme must be packaged into the virus, virus cannot establish infection or replicate until it makes RNA that can work with the host cell machinery.
Retroviruses have what kind of genetic material in the viral particle? What enzymes does this type need in order to infect a cell?
(diploid) positive sense RNA
Retroviruses will need to have reverse transcriptase enzyme packaged in the viral particle in order to make a DNA copy of its genome
Virus will also need integrase enzyme in order to insert the DNA copy of its genome into the host cell DNA
What viral families are non-enveloped? Which are enveloped?
Non-enveloped:
Picornaviruses
Caliciviruses
Reoviruses
Papovaviruses
Adenoviruses
Parvoviruses
Enveloped: everything else
What 4 viruses are associated with illness in the respiratory system?
Adenovirus
Rhinovirus
Influenze viruses A, B
Resp. Synctial Virus (RSV)
What 8 viruses are associated with infections of the digestive system?
Mumps virus
Rotavirus
Norovirus/Norwalk
Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E
What 5 viruses are associated with systemic infections with skin eruptions?
Measles virus
Rubella virus
Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV)
Herpes Simplex virus 1 (HSV1)
Herpes Simplex virus 2 (HSV2)
What 3 viruses are associated with systemic infection with hematopoietic disorders?
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Epstein-Barre Virus (EBV)
HIV-1 and HIV-2
The Orthomyxovirus family causes what disease?
Influenza
Orthomyxoviruses have what kind of genetic material? Are they enveloped?
- ssRNA, enveloped
(will be packaged with a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase)
What determines the viral types of the Influenza genus?
Nucleoprotein antigen determines virus type A, B or C
What Influenza viral type can cause the most severe disease? Least severe?
A is most severe
B is middling
C is least severe
What Influenza viral type has an animal reservoir?
Type A
What are 2 important markers on the Influenza envelope? Why are these important?
2 surface glycoproteins:
(H) - hemagglutinin - mediates attachment to respiratory mucosa and RBCs
(N) - neuraminidase - mucus liquifaction leading to local viral spread
Changes in surface antigens/glycoproteins produce new strains of Influenza, and can lead to pandemics
What is the difference between antigenic drift versus antigenic shift in the case of Influenza?
Antigenic drift - mutations in RNA leading to minor changes in the antigenic character of H and N surface glycoproteins
- cause of yearly epidemics
Antigenic shift - rearrangement of genome segments leading to major changes in the antigenic character of the H and N molecules
What are some major flu pandemics that have happened? What were the surface glycoprotein variants, and year of outbreak?
(This card might not be high yield, more of a CYA)
1957 Asian flu H2N2
1968 Hong Kong flu H3N2
1977 Russian flu H1N1
2009 Swine flu H1N1
Next pandemic? Avian flu - 1997 H5N1 or H7N9
How do you diagnose an influenza infection?
Classic flu Sx in winters, current epidemiology
Also: serology, PCR, culture
What is the treatment for the flu?
Mostly supportive
Rx: Neuraminidase inhibitors
- oseltamivir - Tamiflu
- zananivir - Relenza
- IV peramivir - Rapivab
What could happen when aspirin is given to people/children <19 years with acute febrile illness?
Reye’s syndrome
- Aspirin or salicylates given to person
- Results in fatty liver and cerebral edema; can cause permanent brain/organ damage, liver problems, death
How are flu epidemics and pandemics prevented?
Yearly inactivated vaccines, generally given in the fall
Based on an epidemiological ‘forecast’ of the flu strains likely to be troublemakers in the flu season ahead
The flu is generally a mild and self-limiting disease. Why is it so problematic for immunocompromised people?
Infection can potentially compromise host further
- paves way for secondary infections, bacterial superinfections that could be much worse
What kind of genetic material does the Paramyxovirus family have? Envelope?
-ssRNA
enveloped
What 5 clinically important viruses are included in the family Paramyxovirus?
Parainfluenza
Mumps
Measles
Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV)
Human metapneumovirus
What strange histological finding should you associate with the Paramyxovirus family?
Syncytia!
Produce multinucleated giant cells (syncytia) via a cell fusing factor
What is the point of the fusion protein for the Paramyxovirus family?
Fuses virus envelope to cell membrane
What surface glycoprotein is present in the Paramyxovirus family?
single surface HN glycoprotein with both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase activity
- this protein is lacking in metapneumovirus though
What pathology does human metapneumovirus cause?
Common cold, bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children and adults
How is an infection of human metapneumovirus dx’ed? How is it treated?
PCR - definitive
Also consider clinical presentation, obviously.
Treatment consists of supportive care.
What is the genetic makeup of parainfluenza viruses? Is it enveloped? How many serotypes?
-ssRNA, enveloped
4 serotypes, 1 and 2 are more severe
What tissues do parainfluenza viruses invade?
Local infection of ciliated respiratory epithelium
How widespread/common is infection from parainfluenza viruses?
Pretty common - cause of 30-40% of acute respiratory infection in infants and children
What are the symptoms of parainfluenza infection?
Mild cold-like to life-threatening (croup, bronchiolitis, pneumonia)
Most common cause of croup laryngotracheobronchitis (barking cough, steeple sign)
A young child presents with a recent Hx of febrile illness and a loud, barking cough like a seal. What do you suspect is causing the infection? What do you expect to see on a CXR?
seal bark cough = laryngotracheobronchitis = parainfluenza infection
Steeple sign on CXR - swelling and possible obstruction of airway in laryngotracheal region
What is the transmission of parainfluenza virus?
Droplet
How do you Dx and treat a suspected parainfluenza infection?
Dx - symptoms, then isolation of virus or serology
Rx - supportive care, isolation (keep kid home from day care or school)
contagious for 3-16 days
What is the genetic makeup of respiratory synctial virus (RSV)? Is it enveloped?
-ssRNA, enveloped
What tissues does RSV infect?
Local infection in ciliated epithelia (upper or lower respiratory tract), nose, eye and mouth
- can proceed into bronchioles, as per Dr. Gomez
What types of illness does RSV cause?
•Major cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants (#1 cause in age < 6 months)
Severe disease may present as bronchiolitis, pneumonia or croup
Reinfection in adults usually involves the upper respiratory tract (common cold
How common is infection and reinfection with RSV? How does it affect adults versus children/babies?
Extremely common, reinfection common
Worldwide, winter epidemics yearly
Reinfection in adults usually involves the upper respiratory tract (common cold)
Major cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants (#1 cause in age < 6 months)
Severe disease may present as bronchiolitis, pneumonia or croup