Question

1. Please describe the acquired immune reaction that occurred in response to this infection (infection is Q fever). (make sure it is specific for this type of attack)

2. E.coli has a glutamine at position 87 in this protein. Our pathogen has a glycine. Speculate on how this affects the organism and it’s ability to cause/maintain/spread disease in humans. Give molecular detail.

Answer 1

Ans 1) Q fever is also known as Query fever which is caused due to Coxiella burnetti. The Q-fever is contracted usually when they breathe the Q-fever microbe and it is very infectious in nature that leads to its spread quickly. The acquired immunity is the type of immunity which is obtained from development of the antibodies as a result in response to exposure to an antigen. This takes place either by vaccination or attack from the infection. One of the ways by which an individual can obtain acquired immunity is with help of vaccination. One of the commonly used vaccinations for the process is the whole cell formalin inactivated vaccines which induces the immunity and provide the required protection. Once the individual harbors the infection or get the vaccination, antibody response develops in a time frame of around 7 to 14 days and it leads to increase in the IgG and IgM antibodies. As soon as the IgG antibodies increases in the blood, the microbe becomes undetectable in the blood and hence it is cleared from the blood. It is found that the viable micro-organisms are quickly eliminated from the bloodstream.

Ans 2) In this case, the disease is most likely to be caused due to the glycine cleavage system which contributes to the spread of the disease. It is found in the virulent screens and the glycine cleavage system is also known as glycine decarboxylase complex. It is series of enzymes which leads to trigger of the infection due to high concentration of the amino acid glycine. The interaction overall leads to increase in the overall disease.