Viruses

Smallpox, Polio, Measles

What are they?
 Latin root, means poison.
 Two types of viruses: either RNA-virus, or
DNA- virus.
 They do not have a cell (no nucleus, no
cytoplasm, no cell membrane).
 They are simply a core of nucleic acid (either
RNA or DNA) wrapped in a protein coat.
Examples

Human immunodeficiency
Flu virus virus
What they do
 Viruses are unable to reproduce WITHOUT
THE AID OF A HOST CELL.
 Host cell = a living cell in which a virus can
multiply in or hide in until activated.
 Once a virus has found a host cell, it injects its
DNA or RNA into the host cell’s nucleus. The
host cell then becomes a factory for the virus,
producing more virus.
What they do, cont
 Viruses typically invade only specific types of
cells. For example, some viruses only invade
kidney cells, others only the lungs. Others
only the skin cells.
 The polio virus, for example, only attacks
nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain.
The Virus Life Cycle
How to Cure?
 There are NO drugs that will effectively cure
a virus!
 However, the human body is capable of
making white blood cells which will destroy
most viruses.
 The problem is that these white blood cells
require time to make, during this time, the
virus can kill an infected person.
How to Cure, cont
 Luckily, science has discovered VACCINES.
 A vaccine is prepared by weakening or killing the
virus, and then injecting this virus into the person.
 The human body does not know that they are
weakened or dead, so they latch on to them to get
the information needed to make a white blood cell
which will kill the virus.
 Once the white blood cell has been made, it is
available to kill the virus should it invade the
body at a later time.
Vaccines
 The idea of a vaccine was put forth by
Edward Jenner in 1796 for smallpox.
 Jenner noticed that farm hands who had
contracted cow pox did not contract smallpox.
 Before the introduction of a vaccine, the
mortality rate of smallpox was about 35%.
 As of 1977, the WHO declared smallpox
eradicated.