Covid

Question 1

Where is covid derived form

Answer 1

Horseshoe bats

Question 2

Why do animal viruses usually require intermediate host ?

Answer 2

• virus repeats quickly so adapts new receptor in its host
• receptor in some species are more similar to hosts, so will adapt to receptor in intermediate host before adapting to humans

Question 3

Why are bats large carriers?

Answer 3

Have a mutation in the NLRP3 gene working the inflammasome complex
Inflammasomes detect virus so bats don’t raise a proper immune response and don’t get sick

Question 4

4 structural protein types

Answer 4

S (spike glycoprotein), E (envelope small membrane protein), N (nuclear protein and RNA genome), and M (membrane protein)

Question 5

How DNA/RNA vaccines work?

Answer 5

• Uses DNA/RNA molecules to teach the immune system to target key viral proteins

-easy and quick design

• eg. Covid vaccines

Question 6

How live attenuated vaccines work?

Answer 6

• a weakened version of the live virus
• stimulates robust immune response without causing serious disease, but not safe for immunocompromised
• eg. MMR, chickenpox

Question 7

How inactivated vaccines work?

Answer 7

• Use whole virus after it has been killed with heat or chemicals
• easy to make and safe as virus is dead, but not as effective
• eg. Polio

Question 8

How subunit vaccines work?

Answer 8

• uses piece of viral surface to focus immune system on single target
• stimulates immune system on single target but may not generate strong response
• eg. Hepatitis B, HPV

Question 9

How viral vector vaccines work?

Answer 9

• Takes harmless virus and uses it to deliver viral genes to build immunity
• generate strong immune response, but care must be taken to choose safe vector
• eg. Ebola

Question 10

Stages of virus cycle that can be interfered with?

Answer 10

• fusion
• endocytosis
• transation
• proteolysis
• translocation and RNA replication
• packaging
• viripn release