microbiology SHORT ANSWER tigenic drift requires individuals to get a flu vaccin
ID: 265743 • Letter: M
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microbiology
SHORT ANSWER tigenic drift requires individuals to get a flu vaccine yearly CASE HISTORY Bighteen-year-old Aisha was a first year student at a small private college in Ne of 2009, the campus implemented management procedures for the expected HINI i pandemic Students with flu symptoms were told to "self-isolate" and to report thei webform. By the end of October, there were 50 students reporting per week. One night, Aisha felt hot, flushed, and unsteady on her feet. Her thermometer showed a temperature of 39°C (102° F). She started coughing, and she felt extremely tired. She managed t e webform on her computer, although her arm was shaking and made false starts. Finally, she typed her information and confirmed her status report. A college security officer arrived at her room wearing a face mask. The officer gave Aisha a face mask and told her to collect her essential p items and books; residence reserved for suspected H1N1 cases. There Aisha lay in the bed and tried to sleep. In the Aisha did the best she could in her fevered state. The officer drove her to a separate morning a nurse's aide brought a tray of food and medication including oral oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and haled zanamivir (relenza). The tray was left on the floor in the hallway, outside Aisha's isolation Aisha had to drag herself out of bed to open the door and get the tray. She was required to stay room. in th e isolation room until two days after her temperature returned to normal. She and most other infected students made a full recovery, although one student was hospitalized with life-threatening complications The college security officer who interacted with Aisha when she contracted H1N1 influenza had received a flu shot earlier in the season, before this strain was included in the vaccine. He had also previously been infected with influenza as a child. Why did this officer exercise such precaution (e.g.,wearing a face mask) in interacting with Aisha? How is the influenza virus able to infect a person with previous immunity?Explanation / Answer
Antigenic drift is the process of accumulation of random mutations, by infectious agents especially viruses like Influenza, in the antigenic genes that are responsible for eliciting immune response or antibody production in the host. In Influenza virus, antigenic drift occurs in hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes. Hemagglutinin protein is required for viral binding and subsequent entry into the host epithelial cells while neuraminidase protein is required for budding of newly formed virions out of the host cell.
Because of antigenic drift, these two proteins evade host immune systems and the virus becomes unrecognizable to the pre-existing host immunity. The college security officer who interacted with Aisha when she contracted H1N1 influenza had received a flu shot before this strain was included in the vaccine. It means his pre-existing immunity for influenza virus cannot recognize the virus and so he is also prone to be infected with the virus. This is the reason why the officer exercised a precaution when interacting with Aisha.
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