Microbiology Final Tuesday May 7th (11am)

50 questions: multiple choice, true and false

Measles:
Origin: the measles virus (MEV) was first described in the 9th century by a persion physician
named Rhazes. He compared it to smallpox and wrote a book differentiating the two. The virus
showed up in Boston, MA is 1657. This was first known case in America. MeV is a member of
the Genus Morbillivirus of the family Paramyxorividae. Mev is single stranded, negative sense,
enveloped, non segmented RNA virus

Signs and symptoms: Fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, inflamed eyes, Koplick’s spots:
white and bluish with red background on the inside of cheeks

Diagnosis: usually diagnosable by appearance of rash, and or koplick’s spots, and if needed a
blood test to confirm

Prevention: Wash your hands, avoid sick people, and get the vaccine (live attenuated viral
measles vaccine- one dose given by the intramuscular or subcutaneous route, with opportunity
for second dose at least one month after the first

Host range: human to human

Cause/ Risk Factors: High contagious, lives/ replicates in mucus of nose and throat, air droplets
through coughing or sneezing, about 90% of people not immune will contract the virus. Risks
include not being vaccinated, international traveling, and Vitamin A deficiencies

Cytomegalovirus:
Virus anatomy/ physiology: CMV/ HHV-5 is a DsDNA virus. It is part of the Herpesviridae family.
The virus contains an envelope, capsid, a core, a protein layer called tegument, and the outer
part of glycoprotein.

Origin: The virus was first seen in 1881 by Ribbert. In 1921, Goodpasture and Talbert were the
first to think that Cytomegalia was viral. In 1956, Dr. Thomas Weller isolated the virus from
infants urine and named it Cytomegolovirus.

Diagnosis: Determined by blood tests, amniotic fluid, prenatal test, and tissue samples. Test the
baby three weeks after birth and or if you have a weakened immune system

Prevention: Wash hands, practice safe sex, clean toys and countertops. Do not clean a baby’s
pacifier by your own mouth, be careful with disposable items, and don’t kiss babies or small
children on the lips. Avoid sharing food, toothbrushes, eating utensils, and drinking out of the
same cup
Risk factors: people who have weak immune system due to HIV, cancer, long term use of drugs
that weaken the immune system, who’ve received transplanted tissue

Lassa Fever:
The lassa fever is an acute viral illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the virus family
Arnaviridae and found in west Africa

It is single stranded RNA and it is Zoonotic or animal borne

It was first described in the 1950’s, but the virus was identified after 2 missionary nurses died
from the disease in the Nigerian town of Lassa.

The fever is most often diagnosed by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assays
(ELISA), which detect IgM and igG antibodies as well as Lassa antigen

There is no approved vaccines against Lassa fever for use In humans

The primary transmission of virus from host can be prevented by avoiding contact with
Mastomy rodents. Putting the food away in rodent proof containers and keeping the home
clean help to discourage rodents from entering homes

Ribavirn (antiviral drug) has been used with success in Lassa Fever patients. Patients should also
receive supportive care consisting of maintenance of appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance,
oxygenation and blood pressure, as well as treatment of any other complicating infections.

Chicken Pox: Virus: Chicken pox is an infection caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV), most
cases are children under age 15, but older children and adults can get it

Origin: Giovanni Fillipo gave the first description of variceilla during 1500’s in Italy. The origin of
the term chickenpox has been recorded as being used since 1600’s by Richard Morton. William
Herberden was the first physician to prove that chickenpox was different from smallpox during
the 1700’s

Diagnosis: Diagnose by physician through simple examination of the rash, if any uncertainty- it
can be confirmed with lab testing

Prevention: Michiaki Takashia developed the first live, attenuated vaccine for varicella in 1972.
The chickenpox vaccine is best prevention; it prevents chickenpox from 90% of children. 2
doses are recommended to adults and children over the age of one year. Varivax vaccine is
used to help prevent varicella virus infection.

Treatment: antiviral medications exists, must be given in first 24 hours, Avoid scratching rashes,
wear cool clothing, Benadryl, and remain out of heat and sun. Non-aspirin should be used to
lower fever on the chicken pox
Transmission: it is transmistted from person to person by; direct contact of broken blisters
(touching the rash) and air borne (coughing and sneezing). It could also be transmitted
indirectly through articles freshly soiled by discharges from vesicles and mucous membranes of
infected people

Cause and Risk Factors: The varicella virus causes chickenpox initially. People who may get high
risks of chickenpox are: infants, adolescents, adults, and pregnant woman, people with
weakened immune systems because of illness.

Pneumonia:
Origin: The first name for Pneumonia was the “winter fever” and its symptoms were first
described by Greek Physician Hippocrates around 460BC

Diagnosing: Chest Xray best possible test – shows inflammation of lungs, not the only test that
can be done

Statistics: Half of all non- immunocompromised adults hospitalized for severe pneumonia in the
US are younger adults (18-57), older people have higher risk of getting pneumonia and are
more liley to die from it if they do

Organism anatomy: Pneumonia is a infection from bacteria, viruses, or fungi that inflames the
air sacs in one or both lungs that could fill with fluid (pus) and potentially become solid

Treatment: pneumonia can be treated by antibiotics, antiviral medication and in most cases
with a little rest, aspirin, and fluids Pneumonia can be prevented by getting vaccinated for the
flu since flu is a common cause for pneumonia. Prevention simply by washing hands and avoid
smoking

Transmission: pneumonia gets transmitted when you inhale the infection after someone with
the infection coughs or sneezes in a poorly ventialated area or being in close contact with the
person infected.

Anaplasmosis:
Transmission: the tick acquired the bacteria when they bite animals who carry bacterium,
animal bites, blood transfusions

Treatment: blood tests are used to diagnose anaplasmosis- doxycycline (antibiotic- 10-14 days)

Prevention: there’s no vaccine for anaplasmosis yet, so its best to manage ticks on your pets
and around the house/ yard.

Traveler’s Diarrhea: Diagnosis: when traveling to foreign country and having three or more
watery stools accompanied by one or more of the following signs/ symptoms
HIV: Treatment: medication for HIV is offered, not to treat the virus but to slow down the
preogression of the virus in the body. HIV is a type of virus called retrovirus and the
combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART)

Plague: organism characteristics, origin, things in signs and symptoms that standout, diagnosis,
prevention

Ebola: know all of Ebola

Hepatitis A: Origin (first bullet), transmission, symptoms, diagnosis

Clostridium difficle: Know it all