...Bird Flu of H5N1 virus threatens world pandemic Public health has traditionally been an area of concern as anything that poses a threat to humans should be considered a top priority societally. From a global standpoint if public health is neglected then the amount of preventable deaths would rise exponentially. In the past few years several events have been noted as threats to public health, but society had identified them quick enough so that the threat to humans was minimized. One such event occurred in 2006 and was known as the bird flu. Although there is currently no vaccine for this strain of bird flu the rapid identification of this deadly virus helped to minimize its spread. According to Medline, birds just like humans can be stricken with the flu but the virus historically only affected avian species without the potential to affect humans. This remained true until 1997 in Hong Kong when the first case of the avian flu was reported. This avian virus has the ability to mutate or change its genetic makeup so that it can be easily incorporated into the human genome, thus causing a new form of flu that can be deadly and difficult to treat. Since 1997 the avian flu has spread to several countries and has severely affected both the commercial poultry supply and humans alike. Although the viral transition to infecting humans is rare, the avian flu is responsible for approximately 600 infections since its inception with a mortality rate of 60% (National Library of Medicine...
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...Influenza A/H5 Detection Kit otherwise known as the avian flu detection kit was produced in 2006 before the merger. Thus, Applied Biosystems would be the more appropriate company for the comparison instead. Applied Biosystems Inc. was first established in 1981, and has a reputation for producing top quality instruments for diagnostic research. Moreover, the scales of both companies differ greatly. Applied Biosystems has approximately 5000 staff that work under them whereas Veredus has about 20-30 staff. The level of technology and expertise that the firm possesses is equivalent to that of a listed company, in order for Veredus Laboratories to be able to compete with such big market players in the industry and to emerge as a formidable force to be reckon with,. Thus, Applied Biosystems is definitely a strong competitor of Veredus Laboratories with its vast experience. Applied Biosystems developed the TaqMan Influenza A/H5 Detection Kit (Taqman) in 2006, which is capable of detecting the avian influenza in laboratory samples reliably and quickly. Instead of the usual traditional testing which requires up to 10 days for the results to be analyzed, the Taqman requires only 2 hours. This detection kit is very similar to the one that catapulted Veredus Laboratories to its position today, the Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 Detection Kit, which was also produced in 2006. Both products serve the same purpose in terms of detecting the avian flu by using the...
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...People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose. To avoid this, people should stay away from sick people and stay home if sick. It also is important to wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Eating utensils can be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap and do not need to be cleaned separately. Further, frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at home, work and school, especially if someone is ill. The Flu Is Contagious Most healthy adults may be able to infect other people beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During...
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...avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses exist easily among wild aquatic birds all around the world and make those poultry be infected, as well as other bird and animal species. Avian flu viruses hardly infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with avian flu viruses have happened. (Communication, 2014) 2.0 Causes Viruses belonging to the A type of influenza viruses cause avian influenza. Sometimes a virus can break. These mutations agree with a bird virus to infect pigs or humans. Humans who have intimate contact with infected birds can then contract the virus. There is also concern that the virus can mutate to allow it to pass between humans. Bird flu occurs...
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...Zombie Virus or Rabies-Flu Hybrid? Could a highly improbable genetic tweak cause a mutant virus? Hollywood would sure like us to believe it, or else they would lose at the box office. Though humans once dead can’t rise from the grave, it is possible that certain viruses can cause violent aggressive behavior, one such virus is Rabies, which could cause some zombie-like traits. Rabies is a viral disease and it causes the central nervous system to become afflicted with horrible symptoms, causing a human to act like a stark raving mad lunatic. Once infected, humans do not immediately show signs of the disease. Actually, the first signs of rabies, such as confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, and paralysis- could lay dormant in the body and not typically appear for a week up to a year. Once symptoms do appear, if left untreated, could be fatal within a week. Now take the influenza virus’ ability to spread rapidly through the air, and combine it with rabies. Could this combination possibly cause a zombie apocalypse? I think if this were to happen, gun sales would sky rocket. Can you picture it? The caption would read, “Now open, Zombie Season, how many can you get?” Rabies though is no laughing matter. Viruses can exchange pieces of genetic code, but they have to be related. It’s scientifically unheard of when two different viruses like rabies and influenza merge, because they are too different. Viruses don’t mix and match, they interchange only with their own gene family. Nature...
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...Avian Influenza, also called bird flu or H5N1 is an infection that naturally occurs among birds. Avian Influenza is carried in wild birds in their intestines but usually do not get sick. On the contrary domesticated birds: turkey, chickens, and ducks pick up the very contagious virus and get very sick. The virus is fatal. Birds that are susceptible to the virus become infected by being in contact with contaminated secretions or excretions. Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus. (CDC) 2010. The spread of avian influenza A viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely, and has been limited, inefficient and not sustained. However, because of the possibility that avian influenza A viruses could change and gain the ability to spread easily between people, monitoring for human infection and person-to-person transmission is extremely important for public health. (CDC) 2010. Avian Influenza Outbreak Outbreaks The most recent reported outbreak was January 2015. The outbreak is still ongoing but has not yet spread to humans. The most recent outbreak in North America with transmission to humans was in Canada in 2004. Health Canada reported two cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza A (H7): one in a person involved...
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...and we are always trying to find new remedies and treatments to ease the discomfort and rid the sickness from our bodies as quick as possible rather than just waiting for it to run its course. These illnesses can be both viral and bacterial. Because I have been diagnosed with double pneumonia three times in the past I have learned from talking with my doctor that viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics whereas bacterial infections can. There is still no cure for the common cold and although the flu and pneumonia can be treated with medications it is still wise to keep hydrated and rested until the symptoms pass. Through past experience with these illnesses as well as talking with my doctor about these subjects I have discovered many different specifications of each individual illness such as symptoms, complications, and proper treatment and prevention methods. Viral infections are the most common illnesses that we face. The Latin meaning for the word virus as found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is toxin or poison. Your body recognizes viruses as intruders in the body and all of the complications that you face while sick, such as a runny nose, are the body’s mechanisms to get rid of them. But what most of us don’t know is that some viral infections are incurable, while others require specific medication and treatment, I have learned this through becoming sick with different types of viral infections and being treated for some by my doctor while getting no treatment...
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...The Zika virus was discovered in 1947 and was named after the Zika forest in Uganda. The first case of this virus was detected in 1952. Fourteen cases of the virus have been documented before 2007and there were probably more cases that were unreported. Symptoms of Zika virus are the same as flu and as the result of the similarities some cases might not have been reported. The World Health Organization (WHO), stated the Zika virus is a public health emergency for international concern. The Zika virus will receive funding for $100,000. The reason I chose this virus to study is because it causes birth defects in children. These defects include: microcephaly, (which causes smaller heads in new borns), absent, or not fully developed brain, eye defects, hearing problems, and stunted growth. The virus is usually transmitted by a mosquito and recently it has been proven that it can be transmitted by sexual contact. The signs and symptoms of this virus are usually mild and a person may not know they are sick. Common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis. It has been proven that we build immunities to this virus and if a woman had the vaccine before getting sick with this virus she would not have to worry about the defects that are caused. There is a relatively new approach to combatting Zika virus that is being used to look at cellular structures. It is called Cellular Analysis and Notification of Antigen Risks and Yields...
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...The Ebola Virus 10 out of 10 people infected with it will die with die with it. It is airborne. It is 100 times more contagious than AIDS. It has no known origin, vaccination or cure. It kills you in such a way that even highly trained professionals get sick from just hearing about the effects. It is real and it has started its attack on the human race. Mrs. Landau and fellow classmates. The symptoms I have just described to you are real. These are symptoms to a real and fatal virus. The virus's name is Ebola and it has started its burn into our society. Like the AIDS virus, nothing really is known about it except its effect on people. Like the AIDS virus, there is no cure, treatment or vaccination. Unlike the AIDS virus which can take up to 8 to 10 years to kill you, this virus can take as little as to 8 to 10 hours to result fatally. It starts off with a fever and symptoms of the flu. Then the muscles in your face stop moving freezing your face into a mask. Just before death, you start to bleed from every opening in your body starting from your nose and mouth to your gums. Your internal organs liquefy and you vomit them up. In reality, the virus has attempted to turn its host into a virus. You are dead before you have even started to show signs of this virus. It is believed that it is some sort of mutated form of AIDS because it started in the original spot as AIDS did, Kinshasa and moved along the highway ripping its way through Northern Africa....
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...Essay 1 According to some medical authorities, we are on the verge of a major health crisis: Antibiotics, a sort of panacea for bacterial infections that used to kill millions of people every year, are losing their ability to thwart disease. This means that, if the present trend continues, humanity will once again find itself facing the kinds of apocalyptic epidemics that have been man’s curse for all but the last century of history. Bacteria of many ilk, from the relatively innocuous streptococci that give most people a sore throat and a bit of fever, through the often lethal and fast-propagating tuberculosis and e.choli, are becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment. And while many bacterial infections will simply run their course, causing considerable but temporary suffering, others will kill their hosts, or develop a symbiotic relationship, making the human host a perpetual propagator of lethal disease. Here’s the shocking fact: We are the ones creating these super bacteria. While evolution plays a role, we are helping it to strengthen mankind’s number one living enemy. The evolutionary part is simply that some bacteria do survive antibiotic treatment and its drug-resistant genetic material gets passed on to other bacteria. It is precisely because of this that health authorities in developed countries urge us to consume all the pills in a prescription: While we may feel better after a few pills have killed most sieging bacteria, the few that are left behind due to an incomplete...
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...Disease and Evolution The human body has been plagued with diseases since the beginning of time—pathogens like viruses and bacteria have made us privy to Mother Nature. As humans evolve, so do the diseases we are susceptible to. Some diseases that were once rare have become common, others have disappeared and newer, more daunting ones have emerged. Many of these changes have taken place in the wake of important transformations in human civilizations and ecology. It is therefore feasible to propose that diseases succeed and fail in response to humanity's advances. Natural selection is unable to provide us with perfect protection against all pathogens, because they tend to evolve much faster than humans do. E. coli, for example, with its rapid rates of reproduction, has as much opportunity for mutation and selection in one day as humanity gets in a millennium. And our defenses, whether natural or artificial, make for potent selection forces. Pathogens either quickly evolve a counter defense or become extinct. Diseases such as AIDS, Ebola, Polio have shown their wrath and humans have sought to find cures and treatment options. By definition, disease is essentially “a disorder of structure or function that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affect a specific location (not just from a physical injury)” (WHO, 2007). The true boundaries and limitations of disease remain elusive. Healthcare specialists and researchers use “normal” conditions as their basis in order to understand...
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...It's most commonly caught by having sex without a condom. Also It can also be passed on by sharing infected needles and other injecting equipment, and from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. The virus attacks the immune system, and weakens your ability to fight infections and disease. There is no cure for HIV, but there are treatments to enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life. Hepatitis B, It is a virus that can infect the liver and there is some Symptoms such as, being sick or feeling sick ,lack of appetite, flu-like symptoms, e.g. Tiredness aches and pains also headaches, yellowing of the eyes and skin. Furthermore most people they don’t recognize if they have been infected with the virus this is because the symptoms might not develop immediately, or on some people it don’t at all. In addition it takes between 40 and 160 days for any symptoms to develop after exposure to the...
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...here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] | Etiologic Agent CMV is a herpes virus. This group of viruses include herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus, and Epstein-Barr virus. These viruses share a characteristic ability to remain dormant within the body for life. After initial infection, which may cause few symptoms, CMV becomes latent, residing in cells without causing detectable damage or clinical illness. Severe impairment of the body's immune system by medication or disease may allow the virus to reactivate from the latent or dormant state and become symptomatic. Reservoir The virus is past from person to person through direct contact with body fluids. People who are infected with CMV sometimes shed the virus in body fluids, such as urine, saliva, blood, tears, semen, and breast milk. The shedding of virus may take (Kendall O smith, Lucy Rasmussen, 1963)place intermittently, without any detectable signs, and without causing symptoms. Morphology Enterovirus is protein capsid and single stranded positive sense RNA. When stained it looks like DNA virus almost identical in size to herpes virus. Both virus have enveloped forms and displays protein membrane subunits. Diseases This virus can cause Polio. Signs and symptoms Minor symptoms are as fallows fever, fatigue, nausea, headache, and flu like symptoms, stiff neck and back, pain in limbs. Some major symptoms are paralysis, disfigurement of the spine and...
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...of: 1. Capsid or protein coat. 2. Some have an envelope (membrane) 3. Nucleic acid – either: RNA, DNA C. Size 1. About 20 nanometers to 250 nm (.0000000020m) in size 2. Can only be seen with electron microscope 3. Approximately 1000 times smaller than a bacteria D. Shapes E. Life Cycle 1. Viral DNA must invade a living cell to replicate a. Plant cell – through injury in cell wall b. Animal cell – punch hole or endocytosis c. Virus – restricted to one cell. 2. may go through one or both life cycles. a. Lytic life cycle - Attaches and injects DNA. - Replicate viral DNA. - Forms complete viruses. - Viruses fill cell, breaks open, and they spread b. Lysogenic life cycle - Does not make new virus. - Viral DNA injected, and makes modified DNA called a viroid. - A bacterium replicates many times. - Does not destroy host until they enter the lytic cycle F. Why important? 1. Viral diseases in book a. AIDS b. Common cold c. Ebola d. Hepatitis A and B e. Influenza (flu) f. Mumps g. Polio h. Rabies i. SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) j. Smallpox k. Yellow fever 2. Over 200 known viruses causes human diseases 3. In plants, 1000 viruses affect plants, and cost...
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...let’s take a look at a well-documented example of natural selection in action, infection by HIV. Then let’s dissect the essential elements of the process. Finally, we’ll wrap up with some other examples of natural selection. Sound good? Let’s get started. Let’s begin by discussing the tragic course of an HIV infection and the role that natural selection plays. Stay with me on this. It will take a bit of time to summarize how HIV works, but this will be time well spent. HIV is a slow-acting virus that eventually devastates the immune system. When HIV first invades a host, it is able to reproduce rapidly. This is because it takes a while for the immune system to muster a response to the new invader. About six to eight weeks after a person is first infected with HIV, they may experience flu-like symptoms due to the high number of viruses in their bloodstream. Normally, the immune system starts to get the upper hand at this point and the symptoms go away. If this person’s blood is sampled, the virus is still present but the person appears to have normal health. Then much later—sometimes several years later—symptoms return. This means that the immune system has been overwhelmed and the disease has progressed to full-blown AIDS, a condition in which a devastated immune system can no longer fight off infection. Unless aggressively treated, death is inevitable. Why does HIV appear to go dormant only to reemerge with lethal results? During the course of an infection, a deadly race is being...
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