Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Ebola Flashcards
(42 cards)
What age group has the highest attack rates?
Children, but infants experience the highest mortality and hospitalizations rates.
During what seasons does influenza peak?
winter/spring
What does the genome of influenza look like?
Eight different pieces of single-stranded RNA.
What two surface proteins are found on the lipid envelope of influenza viruses?
Hemagglutinin (H) and Neuraminidase (N)
What are the three types of influenza viruses?
- Type A
- Type B
- Type C (clinically insignificant)
Which type of influenza causes epidemics, pandemics and can infect other animal?
Type A
Define antigenic drift.
Refers to a gradual change in the virus through a slow series of mutations, substitutions, or deletions of amino acids
Define antigenic shift.
When a type A influenza virus with a completely novel hemagglutinin or neuraminidase gene. More dramatic impact.
True or False: Influenza type B viruses are subject to antigenic shift as they infect only humans.
False: They are not subject to antigenic shift and thus they only infect humans
Name four influenza pandemics .
- 1918-1919- Spanish Flu killed 550,000
- 1957-1958- Asian Flu killed 70,000
- 1968-1969- Hong Kong Flu killed 34,000
- 2009-2010- Swine Flu
What are the symptoms of influenza?
Acute fever, chills, myalgias, headache, and cough. Infants can also have gastrointestinal symptoms, apnea, and anorexia.
What are the two forms of treatment for influenza?
- Matrix protein inhibitors
2. Neuraminidase Inhibitors
What are two types of matrix protein inhibitors and what type of influenza do they treat?
- Amantadine
- Rimantadine
Type A
What are three types of neuraminidase inhibitors and what type of influenza do they treat?
- Oseltamivir (tamiflu)- Oral
- Zanamivir (Relenza)- Inhalation
- Peramivir (Rapivab)- IV only
Subtype A and B
To which antiviral is H1N1 resistant?
Oseltamivir
Can you use Zanamivir in children less than 7 years of age?
No.
What are the two types of seasonal influenza vaccines?
- Inactivated influenza vaccines- injectable,killed vaccine for all individuals 6 months and over.
- Live attenuated influenza vaccine- Intranasally, ages 2-49yo
What is in a trivalent vaccine?
Two “A” strains and one “B” strain
What is a quadrivalent vaccine?
Two “A” strains and two “B” strain
What is coccooning?
Everyone in a household with an infant younger than 6 months are vaccinated against influenza.
Name some high-risk individuals who should be targeted for vaccination for influenza.
- Children younger than 2
- Adult over 65
- Pregnant women
- Immunosuppressed
- Morbidly obese
- People who have been on long-term aspirin
What age group did the H1N1 pandemic affect the most?
Highest among children and young adults.
What is the primary risk factor for Avian flu (H5N1)?
Living close to birds.
Direct contact with infected birds
Direct contact with humans with avian influenza
What three conditions must be met to define when an influenza pandemic is occurring?
- Emergence of a new influenza subtype
- Must infect humans and cause serious illness
- Sustained human-to-human transmission and spread easily among humans
