emerging and pandemic diseases

Question 1

Russian flu

Answer 1

around since about 1000, pandemic in 1977

Question 2

HSV-2

Answer 2

around for hundreds of thousands of years, pandemic in 1978

Question 3

HIV-1

Answer 3

around since late 19th century, pandemic in 1981

Question 4

Hep C

Answer 4

around since middle ages, pandemic in 1989

Question 5

Zika virus

Answer 5

pandemic since 2007

Question 6

Antigenic drift

Answer 6

The gradual build-up of mutations to a virus that cause some structural changes and cause the virus to evade existing immunity. Not the end of the world, need a top up vaccine yearly (eg Influenza). Occurs between pandemics, whichever strain caused the pandemic will circulate as a seasonal flu until the next pandemic.

Question 7

Antigenic shift

Answer 7

The sudden, dramatic change to a viruses surface proteins due to a combination of two or more different strains, forming a new subtype. Very big deal, new strain will cause a pandemic and current vaccines will be useless. High death rates likely

Question 8

How are subtypes of Influenza A identified?

Answer 8

Intitially defined by subtypes - if a strain could be neutralised by antibodies raised against another strain, those strains were in the same serotype. Serotypes based on H and N proteins
Serotypes replaced by molecular types -> strains in the same serotype genetically related

Question 9

Reservoirs of influenza A

Answer 9

Sea and shore birds, chickens and pigs (transmission to humans)

Question 10

Ebola - incubation period

Answer 10

the time from contracting a virus to development of symptoms. Average of 11 days
Average symptoms to hospitalisation period is 5 days.
Average time to death = 10 days
Average time to recovery = 17 days