BSC 546 Final Exam Review Material
Questions and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
Describe antigenic shift and antigenic drift and which causes isolated epidemics vs pandemics. - Answer:
Antigenic Drift - repeated minor antigenic changes' retains some resemblance to prevailing strains
(Types A and B); able to cause isolated epidemics.1
Antigenic Shift - major change in one or both surface antigens; no serologic relationship with prevailing
strain (only Type A) ; able to cause pandemics.
Segmented genome of influenza - Answer: 1. Genome is segmented - Genetic reassortment can occur
when a host cell is infected simultaneously with viruses of two different parent strains
2. This mechanism probably accounts for generation of pandemic strain of Influenza A, periodically
Polio - Answer: A highly contagious infectious disease of the spinal cord caused by a filterable virus.
Treated by salk and sabine vaccines, attacks motor neuron and cranial nerves in spinal and bulbar polio
respectively.
RSV - Answer: An important cause of otitis media (ear infection) in young children, is prevented with
palivizumab monoclonal antibody given to at-risk populations.
Bordatella pertussis - Answer: Pertussis (whooping cough). Pertussis, produces a toxin that increases
synthesis of insulin, causing a hypoglycemic state in the human host. Starts as upper respiratory
infection, low grade fever, with coughing attacks and whooping inspiration, hence the name whooping
cough.
Measles - Answer: Virus that causes Koplik spots. Causes a rash that begins on the head and then
spreads down the body and limbs, including the palms and soles of the the feet
, Parvovirus B19 - Answer: Virus that causes erythema in infection as well as arthralgia (mostly in women),
invades erythrocytes (red blood cells) and causes their lysis, possibly resulting in a self-resolving anemia.
- fifth disease
Varicella-Zoster - Answer: Chicken pox and Shingles
Establishes latency in the spinal cord during childhood, and re-emerges as shingles. The specific dorsal
ganglion that the varicella zoster settles in determines where on the body the rash will emerge, hence
the dermatomal rash. has vaccines high dose zostavax and low dose varivax
Candida albicans - Answer: Can cause vaginitis, oral thrush, diaper rash in immunocompetent individuals
and esophagitis in immunosuppresed individuals, ex AIDS pts
Aspergillus fumigatus - Answer: Results in airway inflammation and bronchospasms, and ABPA. Also
grows in lung holes as aspergilliomas, and can cause liver cancer.
Cryptococcus neoformans - Answer: Fluconazole (in AIDS patients) - opportunistic fungal disease
Sporothrix - Answer: Soil/plant dwelling fungus, (then can turn into a yeast). Causes subcutaneous
fungal infection. Sporotrichosis from rose thorns, becomes necrotic and ulcerates.
Mycobacterium TB - Answer: Characterized as necrosis at infection site tested for with PPD skin test,
comes back false positive with BCG (TB-vaccine)
Potts disease and Scrofula complications usually asymptomatic
Yersinia pestis - Answer: Bubonic Plague - caused by bacteria carried by fleas
Ebola - Answer: A contagious viral disease originating in Africa. It is transmitted by blood and body fluids
and causes body organs and vessels to leak blood, usually resulting in death - hemmoragic fever
Questions and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
Describe antigenic shift and antigenic drift and which causes isolated epidemics vs pandemics. - Answer:
Antigenic Drift - repeated minor antigenic changes' retains some resemblance to prevailing strains
(Types A and B); able to cause isolated epidemics.1
Antigenic Shift - major change in one or both surface antigens; no serologic relationship with prevailing
strain (only Type A) ; able to cause pandemics.
Segmented genome of influenza - Answer: 1. Genome is segmented - Genetic reassortment can occur
when a host cell is infected simultaneously with viruses of two different parent strains
2. This mechanism probably accounts for generation of pandemic strain of Influenza A, periodically
Polio - Answer: A highly contagious infectious disease of the spinal cord caused by a filterable virus.
Treated by salk and sabine vaccines, attacks motor neuron and cranial nerves in spinal and bulbar polio
respectively.
RSV - Answer: An important cause of otitis media (ear infection) in young children, is prevented with
palivizumab monoclonal antibody given to at-risk populations.
Bordatella pertussis - Answer: Pertussis (whooping cough). Pertussis, produces a toxin that increases
synthesis of insulin, causing a hypoglycemic state in the human host. Starts as upper respiratory
infection, low grade fever, with coughing attacks and whooping inspiration, hence the name whooping
cough.
Measles - Answer: Virus that causes Koplik spots. Causes a rash that begins on the head and then
spreads down the body and limbs, including the palms and soles of the the feet
, Parvovirus B19 - Answer: Virus that causes erythema in infection as well as arthralgia (mostly in women),
invades erythrocytes (red blood cells) and causes their lysis, possibly resulting in a self-resolving anemia.
- fifth disease
Varicella-Zoster - Answer: Chicken pox and Shingles
Establishes latency in the spinal cord during childhood, and re-emerges as shingles. The specific dorsal
ganglion that the varicella zoster settles in determines where on the body the rash will emerge, hence
the dermatomal rash. has vaccines high dose zostavax and low dose varivax
Candida albicans - Answer: Can cause vaginitis, oral thrush, diaper rash in immunocompetent individuals
and esophagitis in immunosuppresed individuals, ex AIDS pts
Aspergillus fumigatus - Answer: Results in airway inflammation and bronchospasms, and ABPA. Also
grows in lung holes as aspergilliomas, and can cause liver cancer.
Cryptococcus neoformans - Answer: Fluconazole (in AIDS patients) - opportunistic fungal disease
Sporothrix - Answer: Soil/plant dwelling fungus, (then can turn into a yeast). Causes subcutaneous
fungal infection. Sporotrichosis from rose thorns, becomes necrotic and ulcerates.
Mycobacterium TB - Answer: Characterized as necrosis at infection site tested for with PPD skin test,
comes back false positive with BCG (TB-vaccine)
Potts disease and Scrofula complications usually asymptomatic
Yersinia pestis - Answer: Bubonic Plague - caused by bacteria carried by fleas
Ebola - Answer: A contagious viral disease originating in Africa. It is transmitted by blood and body fluids
and causes body organs and vessels to leak blood, usually resulting in death - hemmoragic fever
