In: Biology
Influenza Case Study
1. What are the main symptoms of influenza?
2. Would you expect a flu shot to protect against the “stomach flu”? Why or why not?
3. Identify some of the various causative agents of “stomach flu” and compare them to the influenza virus.
4. What is antigenic drift (or genetic drift)? What is antigenic shift (or genetic shift)?
5. Compare the effectiveness of vaccines to antibiotics (or other antimicrobials) prior to infection. Compare the effectiveness of vaccines to antibiotics (or other antimicrobials) after the start of symptoms.
6.When are antibiotics effective?
Influenza Case Study
1. What are the main symptoms of influenza?
· Fever over 100.4 F (38 C)
· Aching muscles, especially in your back, arms and legs
· Chills and sweats
· Headache
· Dry, persistent cough
· Fatigue and weakness
· Nasal congestion
· Sore throat
2. Would you expect a flu shot to protect against the “stomach flu”? Why or why not?
No. Because stomach flu is caused by rotaviruses and noroviruses.
3. Identify some of the various causative agents of “stomach flu” and compare them to the influenza virus.
Influenza is caused by influenza virus and stomach flu is caused by different viruses rotaviruses and noroviruses.
4. What is antigenic drift (or genetic drift)? What is the antigenic shift (or genetic shift)?
Antigenic shift is the process by which two or more different strains of a virus, or strains of two or more different viruses, combine to form a new subtype having a mixture of the surface antigens of the two or more original strains. Antigenic drift is a mechanism for variation in viruses that involves the accumulation of mutations within the genes that code for antibody-binding sites These are small changes in the genes of influenza viruses that happen continually over time as the virus replicates.
5. Compare the effectiveness of vaccines to antibiotics (or other antimicrobials) prior to infection. Compare the effectiveness of vaccines to antibiotics (or other antimicrobials) after the start of symptoms.
Vaccines are taken prior infection. Then only they are effective.
Antibiotics reduce the symptoms if taken after their start.
6.When are antibiotics effective?
Antibiotics are effective only for bacterial diseases.