MicroVirusReview

Thisvirusreviewiswrittentohelpyoukeeptrackofthevirusesandtheirmostrelevantfacts.Ifthereis
aquestioninlecture,knowtheanswer.Ifyouwanttogetsomefreepointsontheexam,readMurrays
questionbook.
Whatyouwillfindisatreeofdifferenttypesofviruses.Youshouldmemorizethetreeintheorderitis
presented.Thetablesthatfolloworganizethecontentbystructure.Youwillnoticesimilarstructures
arelumpedtogether.Ithelpedmealottothinkofthevirusesthisway.Ifitdoesnthelpyou,reorganize
asyouseefit.
Whatfollowsisasmallparagraph/blurbabouteachone.Iprettymuchmemorizedthoseparagraphsfor
eachone,andregurgitatedithereforyou.ItsmostlyLangereviewcardsspottedwithdetailsfrom
lectureandKaplan.Youmustknowthedetailsoftheorganismsinridiculousdetail,asshowninlecture,
butthiscangetyoubyforthequestionstheydontalreadygiveyou.
DNAviruses

Parvovirus
B19

Polyomavirus Papillomavirus
JC

HPV

Family
Parvovirus
Polyomavirus
Papillomavirus
Adenovirus
Herpesvirus
Pox
HepB

Adenovirus
Adenovirus

Herpesvirus

PoxVirus

HerpesSimplex Variola(smallpox)
VaricellaZoster
Cytomegalovirus
HumanHerpes6/7
EpsteinBarr
KaposiSarcoma

HepB
HepB

NA
ssDNA
dsDNA
dsDNA
dsDNA
dsDNA
dsDNA
dsDNA

Linear
Segmented Shape
Envelope
ReplicationSite
Linear
N/A
Icosahedral No
Nucleus
Circular
N/A
Icosahedral No
Nucleus
Circular
N/A
Icosahedral No
Nucleus
Linear
N/A
Icosahedral No
Nucleus
Linear
N/A
Icosahedral No
Nucleus
Linear
N/A
Complex
Yes
Cytoplasm
Circular,
N/A
Icosahedral Yes
Nucleus
incomplete
B19.B19isaparvovirusandisasinglestranded,linear,nonenvelopedicosahedralDNAvirus.Itis
implicatedinslapcheekdiseasewhichresultsinahighfeverthatbreaks,followedbyabilateralred
rashonachildscheeks,lookinglikeitwasslapped.Itisingestedfecaloralandthenspreadsviaviremia
tothebonemarrowwhereitinfectserythropoeticstemcells.Thismayresultinaplasticanemiaina
patientwithhemolyticanemia,orthefatalconditioninpregnantmotherscalledhydropsfetalis.
JCVirus.JCvirusisthehumanpolyomavirusandisadoublestranded,circular,nonenveloped,
icosahedralDNAvirus.Itistransmittedviarespiratorydroplets.JCVisacquiredinrespiratorydroplets
andspreadsviaviremiatomultipleorgans.Whenimmunocompromised,itmakesanopportunistic
infectionontheoligodendrocytesofthebrain,leadingtodemyelination.Thisstartsoffwithdiplopia
(blurryvision)anddysphonia(troublespeaking).Within6monthsthepatientisdeadofrespiratory
failure.ItisanAIDSdefiningillness.
1|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

HPV.Humanpapillomavirusisadoublestranded,circular,nonenveloped,icosahedralDNAvirus.Itis
responsibleforwarts.Differentserotypescausedifferentsymptoms.1,2,and4causeplantarwarts.6
and11arethemostcommonSTDgenitalwarts.16and18arethehighestriskforcancer.Thereisa
vaccine(Gardisil)against16and18.Thereisnotreatmentforwartsotherthantoburn,freeze,orcut
themoff.Ittargetsthebasalepithelialcellsandgainsentrythroughcracks,tears,orabrasionsin
mucosalsurfaces.Itisdetectedwithapapsmear.HybridCaptureIImethodsaremuchmoresensitive
(notBoardRelevant).ProteinE7bindstoretinoblastoma(Rb)whileE6inhibitsp53leadingto
tumorgenesis.
Adenovirus.Adenovirusisadoublestranded,linearnonenvelopedicosahedralDNAvirus.Itis
implicatedinconjunctivitisandpharyngitis(sorethroats)withoutpurulentdischargeandwithnegative
strepresults.Adenovirusesarerarelyfatalexceptinsomeisolatedcasesinarmybarracks.Thereare
manyserotypes;acutegastroenteritisis40and41,pharyngitis/pharyngoconjunctivalfeveris3and7,
withhemorrhagiccystitiscausedby11.Adenovirus5hasbeenusedtodevelopvaccinesandattempted
ingenereplacementtherapy.Itistransmittedeitherbytherespiratoryrouteortheoraltofecalroute.
ItcolonizestheepitheliumoftheupperrespiratoryandGItracts,causingdirectCytotoxicdamage,being
clearedbycellmediatedimmunitywithantibodiesconferringimmunity.Thereisnotreatmentand
thereisnovaccine.
HerpesVirusFamily.Therearealot.Theydoalotofthesamethingsinsimilarways.Forexample,they
allcarryaviralDNApolymerasesotheycanreplicateevenintheabsenceofhostcelldivision.They
carryathymidinekinasethatmakesnucleosidesintonucleotidesforDNAsynthesis.Theyallusehost
DNADependentRNAPolymerasetomaketheRNAfortheirprotein.TheyareEBV,CMV,HH6/7,HH8,
andVZV.
EpsteinBarrVirus.EBVcausesinfectiousmononucleosis(MonoorthekissingDisease).Thisis
categorizedbyfatigue,fever,lymphadenopathy,andsplenomegaly.Itisspreadviarespiratorydroplets
andmucosalcontact.80%ofpeopleenteringcollegearealreadyseropositiveformono.Thevirusgets
intoBcellsandcanimmortalizethem.Itistransportedtothelymphnodesandspleen,whereit
replicates,causingtheswollenlymphandspleen.SequellaincludeburkittslymphomaandHodgkins
Disease.ItisdetectedinserumbytheHeterophileAgandhistologicallybytheDowneyCells.Thereis
notreatmentnorvaccineforEBV.
Cytomegalovirus.Whilenotoftenassociatedwithmono,itcancausemonolikesymptomsin
immunocompetentpatients.Itiscommonlyassociatedwithbeinganopportunisticinfectionof
immunocompromisedpatients,suchasAIDSororgantransplants.Itcausesretinitis,encephalitis,and
colitis.CMVcancrosstheplacentacausinghepatosplenomegaly,jaundice,growthretardationand
neurlogiccomplications.CMVstartsintheoropharynx,spreadstolymphatictissueandproducesa
viremiathatleadstomultipletissues.ItdoesnothaveHeterophileAgnorDowneycells.Itisclassically
diagnosedhistologicallyascellwithanenlargedcytoplasmwithaperinuclearhalowithaneosinophilic
inclusionbody(socalledOwlsEye).Thereisnovaccine,butyoucanusenucleosideanalogstotryto
fixit.

2|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

VaricellaZoster.Thisisthevirusofchickenpoxandshingles.Theprimaryinfectionischickenpox.The
virusisspreadthroughrespiratorydropletsandcolonizestheupperrespiratoryepithelium.Aftera2
weekincubationperiod,thetypicalmacularpapularrashbreaksoutovertheentirebody.Thesecontain
virusandarecontagious.Thelaterinlifeyougetthedisease,theworsethesymptoms.VaricellaZoster
thenhidesinthedorsalrootganglionoftheassociateddermatome.Whenimmunocompromised,it
returns,withaprodromeofpainandasyndromeofarashthatcoversonedermatome.Itiscalled
retrogradetransporttotheneuron,andanterogradebacktotheskin.Thereisnotreatment,butthere
isaliveattenuatedvaccinetovaccinatechildrenandatriskadults.Shinglesisasecondaryinfection
meaningtheremusthavebeentheprimaryinfectionofchickenpox.
HumanHerpesVirus6&7.Notalottoknowaboutthesetwo.TheycauseRosela.Usuallyeffectskids,
spreadbyrespiratorydroplets.Coinfectionwith7mayberequiredforAIDS.90%ofadultsare
seropositive.Thereisarashthatstartsdistallyandworksitswayproximally.Moresevereformscan
resultinseizure.Novaccine,notreatment.
HumanHerpesVirus8,akaKaposiSarcoma.ThisvirusisanAIDSdefiningvirus.Itisaspindlecelltumor
ofendothelialorigincharacterizedbybluishblacklesionsontrunk,neckandface.ItinfectsBcells
(muchlikeEBV)andsetsupapermanentinfection.Bcellcancersarepossible.Italsocausesprimary
effusionlymphoma.Thisisusuallytowardstheendofthediseaseandthepatientslife.
HepB.Thereisalottoknowforthisone&ismassivelyboardrelevant.HepBisahepatitisvirusthat
cancauseacute,chronicorcarrierstates.Itisspreadthroughbodilysecretions(STD),orinjecteddrug
use.Thevirusspreadsthroughviremiaandtargetsonlythehepatocytes.MostofHepBcasesresolve
spontaneouslywithclearingofthevirusassociatedwithanacutehepatitis.Acutehepatitisisdescribed
asjaundice,darkurine,claycoloredstools,hyperbilirubinemia.Thevirusdoesnotdoanythingtothe
liver.Itisyourownimmuneresponse(cellmediatedCytotoxicity)clearingthevirusthatcauses
hepatocellulardamage.Ifyousuffersevereacutehepatitisyouarelikelytoclearthevirus,ifyou
suffermildsymptoms,youwillhaveachronicinfection.Thestrengthoftheimmuneresponseis
dependentonthestatusofyourTcellimmunity.Veryyoungchildrenarescrewed.5orolderhavea
developedimmunesystemtopreventit.Youmustuseserologytodeterminestate.Thedaneparticleis
thevirionitself(a42nmparticlewiththeDNA,coreprotein[HBc],surfaceantigen[HBs],andthe
envelope).Thereisanothersecretedprotein(HBe)thattrickstheimmunesystemandis22nm.The
bodyformsantibodiestoall3antigens(HBcAg,HBsAg,HBeAg).IfyouhaveIgMantianything,youarein
theacutestage.IfyouhaveAntiHBcbutHBsAgyouarechronicallyinfected.AntiHBsmeans
immunity.ThereisaperiodcalledtheHBsAgWindowwherethereamountofantibodies=theamount
ofantigen,andneitherisdetected.Thislastsabout2monthsandfollowstheacutephase.Thereisa
recombinantvaccinethatcanbecoadministeredwithHepAvaccine.AntiHBsIgisgiventoneonatesof
infectedmothersandaccidentalneedlesticksforprophylaxis.Interferon,lamivudineandadefovirare
giventoreducetheriskofhepatocellularcarcinoma,butthereisnocure.

3|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

PositiveStrand
RNAviruses

Picornavirus

Calicivirus

Norovirus
Polio
CoxsackieAandB
Echovirus
Rhinovirus
HepA

Astrovirus

Togavirus

Astrovirus AlphaVirusgenus
(equine
encephalitis,EEE
VEE,WEE)

Flavivirus

Coronavirus

YellowFever
DengueFever
StLouisEnchpahlitis
HepC

SARS

Rubella

Family
Picornovirus
Calicivirus
Astrovidiae
Togavirus
Flavivirus
Coronavirus

NA
ss+RNA
ss+RNA
ss+RNA
ss+RNA
ss+RNA
ss+RNA

Linear
Linear
Linear
Linear
Linear
Linear
Linear

Segmented
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non

Shape
Icosahedral
Icosahedral
Icosahedral
Icosahedral
Icosahedral
Icosahedral

Envelope
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes

SiteofReplication
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm

Polio.Polioismostlyeradicatedfromthewesternworld.Itisspreadbyfecaloralroute.Itinvadesthe
upperrespiratoryepitheliumandthegastricmucosa.Thereitentersthebloodstreamviathelymph,
spreadingbyviremia,withpreferencefortheCNS,motorneurons.Invasioncausesmotorneuron
death,resultinginaflaccidparalysiswithretentionofsensation,usuallyaffectingthelegs.Onlyasmall
fractionofpeopleinfectedwithpoliowillgetflaccidparalysis;mostgetflulikesymptoms.Antibody
mediatedCytotoxicityclearsthevirus,butthedamageispermanent.Therearetwovaccines.TheSabin
Vaccineisintroducedorally,isaliveattenuatedvirus,developsthestrongestIgAandIgGimmunity,but
mayresultinflaccidparalysis.TheSalkvaccineisinjected,isakilledvaccine,requiremultipledoses,but
achievessimilarefficacy.
CoxsackieA&B,Echovirus.Coxsackievirusissimilartopolio,onlytargetingthemeningesinsteadofthe
motorneurons.Itistransmittedfecaloral,invadingtheupperrespiratoryepitheliumandthegastric
mucosa.ItentersthebloodviathelymphandspreadstotheCNSviaviremia.Thiscausesameningitis
likesymptomswithstiffneck,fever,headacheandphotophobia.Therewillbenoneutrophilsbut
insteadlymphocytesintheCSF.Damageiscausedbythevirusitself.Thereisnovaccineandthereisno
cure.CoxsackieAisassociatedwithhandfootandmouthdisease(blisteringofsoles,palmsand
mouth)whileCoxsackieBisassociatedwithPericarditisandMyocarditis.
Rhinoviruscausesthecommoncold.Itisspreadbyrespiratorydropletsordirectinoculationbyhands.
Itaffectsthenasalepitheliumresultinginrhinitis,congestion,sneezing,headacheandaminor
pharyngitis.RhinovirusbindstocellsusingIntercellularCellAdhesionmolecule1(ICAM1),abigboard
point(asbigasitcangetforviruses).Itisusuallyselfdiagnosed,selflimiting,andhasnovaccinenor
cure,thoughgrowthathottemperaturesisdifficult(sohotchickennoodlesoupactuallyworks).
4|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

HepA.HepatitisAcausesonlyacutehepatitis.Itlastsabout34weeks,causesdarkurine,jaundice,
claycoloredstools,elevatedliverenzymes,etc.buthasnoreallongtermeffects.HepaticinjuryisbyT
cellmediatedCytotoxicityclearingthevirus.Thereisnoriskofcarrierorchronicstate,thoughacute
hepaticfailurehasresulted.Yougetthisfecaloral.Thereisnotreatment,butthereisaninactivated
vaccineandHepAImmunoglobulinscanbeadministeredifcaughtatexposure.
Norovirus.ThiscalicivirusisalsoknownasNorwalkvirus.Itisasinglestranded,nonsegmented,
linear,nonenvelopedRNAvirusthathasplaguedthecruiselineindustry.Ifyouseecruiseshipin
questionstem,itsprobablycalicivirus.Itisaselflimitinggastroenteritisthatresultsinwaterydiarrhea.
Itistransmittedbysickworkerswhocontinuetowork;causesawalkingdiarrheathatruinsyour
vacation,maywarrantfluidreplacement,butisnotfatal.YoucanidentifyitbyrunningPCRinthestool.
Anycitythathasaportofentry(likeNewOrleans)hastheabilitytodoPCRtofindNorwalkVirus.
EquineEncephalitis.ThisisamemberoftheTogavirusFamilyandassuchisasinglestranded,
enveloped,linear,icosahedralRNAvirus.Itisstoredinhorsesandtransmittedbymosquitoes.Causes
fever,headache,myalgia,comaanddeath.EasternEquineEncephalitis(EEE)istheworst,thenWestern
andVenezuelan.Eventhoughthisisamosquitoassociateddisease,itisNOTaFlavivirus(eventhough
otherFlavivirusescauseencephalitis).Thereisnovaccine,andnocure.Thereisavaccineforhorses.
Rubella.Rubellaisthemoreimportantofthetworelevanttogaviruses.Thiscausesamildinfectionin
childrenandadultsidentifiedasamaculopapularrash,lowgradefeverandlymphadenopathy.This
causesGermanMeaselswiththerashstartingontheforehead,workingitswaydown.Adultswhoget
itcandeveloparthralgia.Mostimportantlyitcancrosstheplacentaandcausecongenitalrubella
syndromecharacterizedbycataracts,heartdefects,deafness,andmentalretardation.Thereisa
vaccinethatistheliveattenuatedvaccinegivenwithmeaslesandmumps.
FlavivirusFamily.Thesearethevirusesthataretransmittedbyinjectionbyamosquitodirectlyintothe
bloodstream.Thevirusthenspreadstoapreferentialsite.Whereithappenstogowilldictateits
symptoms.Forexample,Yellowfevergoestotheliver,DengueFevergoestothevasculature,andSt
LouisEncephalitis(andassociatedWestNileandJapaneseEncephalitis)gotothebrain.HepCdoesntfit
thebill,butisstillaFlavivirus.
YellowFever.EndemictoAfricaandSouthAmerica,thisisaseverelyfataldisease.Transmittedby
injectionbymosquito,itspreadsthroughthebloodtotheliver,enteringtheKupfercells.YellowFever
screwsupyourliverandturnsyouyellow,nobigdeal.However,itcancausehemorrhagicfeverwhich
causesjaundice,fever,headache,blackvomit(fromthebleeding)hemorrhagesandshock.The
mortalityis50%.Thereisnotreatmentbutthereisagreatliveattenuatedvaccine.
DengueFever.Endemictoeverywheretropical,thisisseenintheUnitedStateswhenpeoplecomeback
onvacation.Thisisrarelyfatal,hasnotreatment,andhasnovaccine.Thisischaracterizedbyfever,
headache,retroocularpain,anddeepbonepain.Antibodiesandcellmediatedimmunityworktofight
offtheinfection.Itiscausedbyaninjectionbyamosquitoandbindstomacrophagesinthevasculature.
Controllingthevector(DEETspray)isapreventativemeasure.

5|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

StLouisEncephalitis.ThisfollowsidenticalpatternstoJapaneseEncephalitis(inJapan)andWestNile
Encephalitis(somewherewestoftheNile).Themosquitoinjectstheviruswhichpreferentiallyistaken
upinthebrainviacapillaryendothelialcellsofthechoroidplexus.Itcausesencephalitiswithnon
specificflulikesymptoms.Itcancausefever,headache,malaise,myalgia,neckstiffness,and
disorientation.(Boards=travel+bite+disorientation)
HepC.Abundantinhomosexualmales,transmittedviablood(transfusions),injectabledrugs(usually
HepB)andviasexualcontact.UnlikeHepA(whichisalwaysacute)andHepB(whichisusuallyacute)
HepCwillalwaysestablishachronicinfection.Hepatitisiscausedbyinflammationandcellmediated
Cytotoxicityandviralclearance.HepatocellularcarcinomaisaccoaitedwiththisHepatitisaswell.
Mutationsareabundantcreatingvariabilityinthemajorenvelopeproteinleadingtoimmunesystem
escape.Thereisnovaccine.TreatmentissimilartoHepBchronictreatment(interferonandribavirin).
Coronavirus.Upuntilabout4yearsagothiswasrhinovirus.Now,sincetheSARSoutbreak,welearn
aboutit.Wedontknowalotaboutit,butwhatwedoknowisthatitishighlyassociatedwithtravelto
ChinaandHongKong.SARScanrapidlydeterioratetodeathorrequiremechanicalventilation.Itgives
youfever,headache,diarrhea,drycough,thendeath.
NegativeStrand
RNAviruses

Paramyxo

Parainfluenza
RSV
Measles
Mumps

Rhabdovirus
Rabies

Filovirus
Ebola
Marburg

Orthomyxo

Bunyavirus

Arenavirus

Influenza

LaCrosseVirus
CaliforniaEncephalitis
Hantavirus

LassaFever
LCMV

Family

NA

Linear

Siteof
Replication
Paramyxovirus ssRNA
Linear
Non
Helical
Yes
Cytoplasm
Rhabdovirus
ssRNA
Linear
Non
Helical
Yes
Cytoplasm
Filovirus
ssRNA
Linear
Non
Helical
Yes
Cytoplasm
Orthomyxovirus ssRNA
Linear
Segmented Helical
Yes
Nucleus
Bunyavirus
ssRNA
Circular Segmented Helical
Yes
Cytoplasm
Arenavirus
ssRNA
Circular Segmented Helical
Yes
Cytoplasm
Measles.Themeaslesarehighlyinfectiousspreadbyrespiratorydroplets.Thereisaprodromalstateof
cough,coryza,andconjunctivitis.Followingthat,KoplikSpots(smallwhitespotsonthebuccalmucosa)
ontheinsideofthecheek,followedbyamaculopapularrashstartingbehindtheears,workingitsway
downontotrunksandextremities.Acomplicationissubacutesclerosingpanencephalitis,arare,late,
progressiveneurologicaldiseasethatoccursmonthstoyearsafterthemeasles.Youneverseeitcoming,
untilitdoes.Thereisalive,attenuatedmeaslesvirusvaccinethatispartoftheMMR.

6|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

Segmented

Shape

Envelope

MicroVirusReview

Mumps.Thereisaprodromalphasecharacterizedbyfever,malaise,headachefollowedbyparotitis
(thebigmumpsinthecheeks).Maleadultscangetorchitis(inflammationofthetestis).Thereisalive
attenuatedmumpsvirusvaccine.
Rabies.Carriedinanimals(usuallyassociatedwithbats,raccoons,skunks,anddogs)itiszoontic.Ithas
ahugeincubationperiodof3060days,sorepeatedpostexposurevaccineistheonlytreatment.Once
symptomsstart,itstoolate,andrabiesisfatal.Thevirusreproducedlocally,atthesiteofbite/infection
andclimbsintotheCNSviaacetylcholinereceptors.ItreplicatedintheCNS,thendescendstoskinand
salivaryglands.YouwillfindRNAinthesalivaandurine.Fever,nausea,vomiting,hydrophobiaand
hallucinationsaretheclinicalcourse.RabiesisconfirmedonautopsybythepresenceofNegriBodies
(eosinophilicinclusiongranulesinthecytoplasm)inneurons.Youcangetpreexposurevaccines,but
thatisusuallyforhighriskpeoplelikeVets.Bottomline:ifyougetbit,getarabiesshot.
Filovirus(Ebola).Youdontwantthis.Ebolaisthestarofthemovieoutbreakandis90%fatal.
Contaminationoccursfromdirectcontactofbodilyfluids.Itinfectsmacrophagesandspreads
systemicallyvialymphatics.Itresultsindumpingofcytokinesalloverthebodyresultinginthefatal
hemorrhagicfever.ThisiswayworsethanYelloworDenguefever.Thereisnotreatment,andthereis
novaccine.Isolationistheonlywaytoprotectsociety;thoseinfectedareconsidereddeadanyway.
Marburgvirusdoesthesamething.
Influenza.OrthomyxovirusesareuniqueinthessRNAinthattheyaretheonlyrelevantfamilythatis
segmentedandlinear.Thisvirushasthreetypes,A,B,andC.InfluenzaAistheworst,infectingmultiple
species,includinghumans,andhasthemostseveresymptoms.InfluenzaBislimitedtohumansand
causesnotasseveredisease.InfluenzaCdoesntreallymatter.Influenzaisidentifiedbytheantigenic
variationofenvelopeproteinsH(hemagglutinin)andN(neuraminidase).H5N1istheavianbirdflu.
Eventhoughthereareliveattenuatedvaccines,immunitydoesntlastlong.Thisisbecauseofantigenic
drift(pointmutationsinantigensthatchangevariabilityslightly)butmoresofromantigenicshift
(reassortmentofRNAgenesegmentsbetweentwoinfluenzaviruses).Manydiseasesaresaidtohave
flulikesymptomswhicharefever,chills,prostration,myalgia,headache,nausea,andvomiting
followedbyrespiratorysymptomsincludingadrycough.Youcantreatiswithantiviralssuchas
amantadineandrimantadine,orwithneuraminidaseinhibitors(zanamivirandoseltamivir).
LaCrosse/CaliforniaEncephalitis.ThesetwoBunyavirusesarecloselyrelated.Theyarenegativesense
circularsegmentedRNAviruseswithanenvelope.Theyarespreadbydirectinoculationofthevirusvia
mosquitoes,usuallyinthecentralMidwest.Theencephalitisischaracterizedbyfever,headache,
malaise,nauseaandvomiting.Seizureshappensoften(50%)andthehistorywillbesignificantfor
campinginendemicareas.Thisdiseasecanbefatal,butusuallyisnot.Seizuresmaybeasequellaofthe
disease.Thereisnovaccineandnocure.Childrenundertheageof16areatsevererisk.
Hantavirus.ThisBunyavirusisalsoanegativesensecircularsegmentedRNAviruswithanenvelope.Itis
spreadbyinhalationorinoculationofrodentexcrement.Thisdoesntmeaneatingratfeces,thismeans
sweepingthebarnwhereamouseyoudidntevenknowwastherehappenedtohavebeenlastweek.It
multipliesinthepulmonarycapillaryendothelialcells.Xraywillshowbilateralinfiltratesonarapidly
7|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s

MicroVirusReview

deterioratingpulmonarysysteminapatientwithfever,myalgia,headache,cough,N/V/D.Thereisno
treatmentandnowvaccine.MechanicalVentilationiscommon,mortalityinhealthysubjectsis50%.
Nastyvirus.ItisalsocalledSinNombrevirus,becausetheNativeAmericans(yeah,apparentlythey
speakSpanish)didntwantthevirustobenamedafterthesacredtriballandsitwasoriginallynamed
after.Thisisaboardrelevantpoint(justkidding).
LassaFever.Thisisanarenaviruswhichoddlyhasbasicallythesamecharacteristicsofbunyavirus.There
aresomedetailsyoucanreadinlecture,butarenthighenoughyieldtomatter.Thisistransmittedbya
rodentsinwestAfrica.Themostcommonsequellaishearingloss.Treatitwithribavirin.

8|O w l C l u b R e v i e w S h e e t s