1. Ryan Kang Jeff Huynh Per. 5

2.  Virus  Subtype H5N1 influenza A strain  Usually unlikely to transfer from birds to humans  Human to Human infection is inefficient and unsustained.  Genus of orthomyxoviridae family of viruses. Structure of RNA based influenza A virus

3.  Flu symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, muscle soreness  Optic infection, pneumonia, respiratory disease  Can result in death

4.  Retrovirus- single negative-sense RNA genome  10 genes in 8 RNA segments that code for the production of 11 different proteins.  Surface Hemagglutinin is surface protein that serves as spikes in spherical virus structure and attaches to sialic acid receptors on cells of humans and birds.

5.  The cell takes in virus and tranfsers genetic information of virus as RNA to bind to cellular pre- mRNA and makes a readable copy of its genome. The new readable mRNA is translated by ribosomes into protein structures.  PB2 section of RNA sequence in H5N1 has a glutine at position 627 while most human influenza strains have a lysine.  As proteins are synthesized by host cell nucleus, new virions are made and filled with the RNA to later infect new cells and sent out into extracellular fluid by lysogenesis: viruses are cleaved out with parts of cellular membrane aka exocytosis

6.  H5N1 may induce “cytokine storm”.  The T cells of the body’s immune system release cytokines to tell body to sneeze, produce heat, produce more mucus.  Too much release of cytokine will result in toxic shock-like syndrome, inducing severe symptoms of chills, fever, headache, and can result in death.  Another way to die from H5N1 is disruption of the lung’s epithelial cells.

7.  Treatments include antiviral drugs, rest, increased fluid consumption  Vaccines will provide natural immunity to virus, as antibodies will attach to surface proteins of H5N1 virus. Current identification of such antibodies are being researched as samples are being studied from bird flu survivors.  New technologies as genetically- engineered mice to produce human antibodies are showing promise for universal influenza vaccines.