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• Antiviral medications, vaccines, and mutation of viruses are topics discussed in this text.
• Viruses range in size from 20-500 nm, have single/double stranded DNA/RNA as genetic material, have a capsid made of protein, lack a cellular structure, and require a host cell to reproduce.
• The process of viral infection involves an antigen, which is any kind of marker that the immune system can recognize and produce antibodies against.
• In 25 minutes, one infected virus can form this many copies, demonstrating exponential growth.
• Mutation of viruses occurs when two or more different strains of the same virus infect the cell, producing a new hybrid strain, and the immune system is not able to recognize the virus strain.
• Small mistakes are made in the replication process resulting in changes in the proteins on the outside of the virus and the virus can infect the immune system even if immunity of the virus has already been established.
• There are currently no effective HIV vaccines available due to difficulties in finding a vaccine, such as heat-killed viruses not being viable, animal studies being ineffective, and finding human test subjects being difficult.
• HIV is a retrovirus, and no retrovirus vaccines have yet been developed due to its delayed activity or behaviour.
• One is diagnosed with AIDS when they have nearly no CD4 cells left, as any minor infection could result in death due to the lack of immune response.
• HIV attacks CD4 cells to reproduce and make more viruses, causing a chain reaction that depletes the body’s immune system response and makes it more susceptible to infection.
• Most patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) take a mixture of different antiretroviral drugs to target different stages of the retrovirus life cycle and can be effective at reducing the patient’s viral load significantly.
• HIV is a retrovirus with different genetic material (RNA), is more prone to mutation, and requires antiretroviral treatment.
• Viruses are considered living, while bacteria are considered non-living.
• Bacteria reproduce through binary fission, where one cell divides into 2 identical daughter cells, and rely on the host cell for replication purposes.
• Viruses infect animal, plant, fungi, and bacteria, while bacteria infect animal, plant, protista, fungi, bacteria, and archaea.
• Treatment for viral infections includes antibiotics, antiviral drugs, and vaccines.
• Viruses lack a cell structure and are more difficult to target with drugs than bacteria.
• Viral infections can cause mild symptoms that last a few days, moderate symptoms that can last a lifetime, or severe symptoms that can cause a constant decline in health.
• The body fights off viral infections with an immune response, a combination of processes organized to combat infections.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is mysteriously discovered around 1970-1980.
• Antivirals must be taken within 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms, otherwise, the virus has progressed too much, and the drug is rendered ineffective.
• Hemagglutinin (HA) is involved in the facilitation of entry of influenza virus into host cells, initiating the infection process.
• Antiviral medications target the neuraminidase enzyme to inhibit its activity and reduce the severity and duration of influenza infection.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission is spread via bodily fluids where the virus is higher in concentration, and it cannot be spread by casual contact.
• Symptoms of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) include fever, fatigue, and rash.
• Oseltamivir and Zanamivir bind to neuraminidase to prevent this cleaving action, so the viruses cannot be released.
• Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA) are both responsible for the attachment of the virus to host cells and the release of newly formed virus particles from infected cells.
• Antivirals are often redundant for healthy individuals, only recommended in more severe cases.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a contagious virus that attacks cells that make up the body’s immune system, can develop into AIDS, and can be treated with a combination of antiviral medications.
• Neuraminidase (NA) allows replicated virus particles to be released from the cell surface, facilitating the spread of the infection to other cells.
• Antiviral medications can be given to severe cases of influenza to shorten the duration and reduce risk of severity.
• Influenza vaccines often target the HA protein to induce an immune response.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) description includes that it attacks cells that make up the body’s immune system, can develop into AIDS, and can be treated with a combination of antiviral medications.
• Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, often not fatal, with symptoms that affect the whole body, particularly the respiratory system and sometimes the gastrointestinal system.
• Vaccines are considered to be the most effective method of combating influenza.
• Vaccines for influenza are provided annually, when the vaccine is made, the 3 most likely variations of Influenza that have the greatest possibility of infection are predicted.
• T-cells recognize abnormal cells from their abnormal antigen proteins and kill the abnormal host cells before the virus is able to replicate and be released to infect other cells.
• Antibodies are detachable parts of a B-Cell and they detach, surround the virus, and get swallowed by macrophages.
• Continually made antibodies quickly surround viruses and destroy them upon a second exposure, preventing another infection.
• The immune response to a virus-infected cell involves T-cells recognizing abnormal cells from their abnormal antigen proteins, killing the abnormal host cells before the virus is able to replicate and be released to infect other cells, and T-cells attaching themselves to the antigen of the abnormal cell and tearing it apart from the outside.