7.1+Questions+ZW

7.1 (p.122-124) and Avian Flu p. 125

1. Why are viruses not exactly living or nonliving? Viruses are acellular so they can appear dead or alive. 2. Give some examples of diseases caused by viruses. HIV, FLU, Bird Flu, cold, measles, chicken pox, polio, rabies. 3. What is the basic structure of a virus? (The two parts and their function) • Out capsid of protein units • Inner core of nucleic acid • Viruses gain entry into and are specific to a particular hot cell because portions of the virus adhere to a lock-and-key manner with a receptor on the host cell’s out surface. The viral nucleic acid then enters the cell. Once inside, the nucleic acid codes for the protein units in the capsid. 4. Why are viruses like microscopic pirates? Because they commandeer the metabolic machinery of a host cell 5. Why are viruses considered parasites? Because they feed off of cells like parasites 6. Why are viruses considered OBLIGATE parasites? Because they have no other choice but to do what they do 7. Why do viruses ALWAYS cause disease? Because they can change face so that the immune system can’t recognize them and therefore can’t fight back 8. How do viruses "emerge" and "spread" each year? Give examples. They spread because they have been transported to places where they have never been before so they are not recognized. Examples are SARS, West Nile Virus, and the flu. 9. What is a virus vector? Give examples. A virus vector would be the bug or insect that carries that virus from a infected human to a healthy one. A mosquito would be a good example. 10. What is the relationship of bird flu to birds? It is just as affective on them as it is on humans. 11. How does bird flu infect humans? It is as deadly as it is to birds 12. What is a pandemic? A disease that occurs world wide 13. Why is there fear that bird flu could cause a pandemic? Because it has the ability to jump from animal to animal, jumping species barriers. 14. What action can we take to prevent bird flu pandemic? None