Virology

Question 1

Define virology

Answer 1

The study of viruses

Question 2

What are some characteristics of viruses?

Answer 2

1. Acellular (lack cell structure)
2. Have nucleic acid (DNA/RNA)
3. Has a capsid (protein coat)
4. Very small
5. Some have envelopes (made out of a phospholipid bilayer)
6. Are obligate intracellular parasites
7. Have no metabolism (do not have nutritional needs)

Question 3

How do you classify viruses?

Answer 3

• nucleic acid
• presence or absence of envelope

Question 4

What is more frágil a non-enveloped or an enveloped virus? Explain

Answer 4

An enveloped virus is more fragile because of the envelop viruses has a phospholipid bilateral and it is more fragile than a capsid

Question 5

Name the replication cycle for viruses

Answer 5

Lytic cycle is the cycle where the virus reproduce

Question 6

Name the steps for the lytic cycle

Answer 6

1. Attachment
2. Penetration
3. Biosynthesis (reproduce)
4. Maturation (assembled)
5. Release

Question 7

What are 2 ways viruses are released from the cell?

Answer 7

1. Non enveloped: viruses lyse the cell & viruses exit
2. Enveloped : viruses bud to the cell & take part of the membrane w/ them & becomes part of their membrane

Question 8

What happens in the lysogenic cycle?

Answer 8

The viruses infects cells & then integrates its viral genome in the host genome

Question 9

T/F viruses in the lysogenic cycle can be triggered to enter the lytic cycle

Answer 9

True, this is bad because all daughter cells that have the viral genome cans enter the lyric cycle = viral replication

Question 10

What are cytopathic effects?

Answer 10

When a viruses infects & damages the cell, cytopathic effects refer to how the cell looks when infected w/ the virus

Question 11

How do you diagnose for viral infections?

Answer 11

1. Detect their genome
2. Detect antibodies the person is producing against the virus
3. Look @ cytopathic effects

Question 12

Why can we not culture viruses?

Answer 12

B/c they need a host cell to replicate, and if we culture the virus is will not replicate/ grow

Question 13

What does Human papilloma virus (HPV) cause?

Answer 13

• it is the main cause of cervical cancer
  -also causes cancer if the head & neck
• cancers of the male genitalia

Question 14

T/F HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD)

Answer 14

True, HPV is a STD and can be easily transmitted, you don’t need to have sexual intercourse to transmit the virus

Question 15

Most people w/ HPV are__________

Answer 15

Asymptomatic, they usually have no symptoms & don’t know they’re infected

Question 16

How can we prevent HPV?

Answer 16

1. By an annual pap smear (scrapes some of cervical cells & looks for cytopathic effects)
2. Vaccine (childhood schedule)

Question 17

Small pox is a ________ disease

Answer 17

Deadly & fatal

Question 18

What happens if you survive small pox?

Answer 18

You are immune for life

Question 19

Does small pox still exist?

Answer 19

No, it does not exist anymore