Week 6 - Blood Borne Viruses Flashcards
What cell does HIV infect?
-CD4+ T Lymphocyte
Where does HIV replicate?
-CD4+ T lymphocyte
Why does HIV cause immunosuppression?
-Destroys CD4+ t lymphocytes so the immune system is reduced
What is the average life expectancy of a person with HIV?
-77 years
How does the free virus infect cells?
- Free virus binds to CD4+ on Th lymphocyte and with the help of co-stimulatory molecules fuses with the cell
- Virus penetrates cell membrane and empties viral contents into cell
What happens once HIV has infected a cell to lead to replication?
- Reverse transcription of ssRNA to dsDNA by reverse transcriptase
- Viral DNA integrated with cellular DNA by integrase
- Infected cell division results in viral protein production
- Viral proteins come together and an immature virus pushes out of cell becoming enveloped in cell membrane
- Maturation and infection of new cell
How is HIV transmitted?
- Sexual -> vaginal, anal and oral
- Sharing injecting equiptment
- Vertical transmission
- Medical procedures
Explain the relationship between viral load and CD4+ cell count throughout the disease progression
1) Initially acute infection and seroconversion -> CD4+ count and viral count high -> body attempts ab response but it is not enough to clear the infection -> Viral load decreased but not cleared -> acute infection resolves
2) Latent infection lasts 2-10 years with a gradual decline of CD4+ and a slow rise of viral load
3) Symptomatic infection occurs as viral load rises
4) Severe infection/AIDs as CD4+ count diminished and viral load very high
How does the acute infection in HIV present?
- Flu-like illness
- Fever, malaise, vomiting, sores
How does the symptomatic infection of HIV present?
- Pneumonias and candida infections begin to appear
- Increased susceptibility to yeasts, mould and protozoa
Name some AIDs defining illnesses
- Kaposi’s sarcoma
- PCP
- TB
- Toxoplasmosis
- Cryptococcus
How is HIV diagnosed?
-Blood test subjected to HIV antigen/antibody tests 4-6 weeks after possible exposure
How is HIV treated?
- Highly active antiretroviral therapy -> combination of three drugs to prevent resistance developing to one drug and that virus replicating
- HAART drugs target budding, fusion or DNA rep
How is Hep B transmitted?
-Blood, sexual, vertical
What is the incubation for Hep B?
-6 weeks-6 months