What is a consequence of the fact that the chickenpox virus has a much lower mutation rate than the influenza virus?

Question

A.  Chickenpox virus can "hide out" as latent virus in nerve cell bodies, but influenza cannot.
B.  Chickenpox creates skin lesions, while influenza leads to body aches.
C.  Chickenpox virus can reemerge decades later with the symptoms of shingles, while influenza is transient.
D.  A chickenpox infection generally gives immunity against a repeat infection, but people can catch the flu every year.

Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content
  What do you already know about viral mutation rates? What other information is related to the question?
 
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?


Answer 1

D.  A chickenpox infection generally gives immunity against a repeat infection, but people can catch the flu every year.


Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        · This question is asking about the consequences of a lower mutation rate of a virus in terms of vaccination schedule.
What type of thinking is required?
        · Apply level:
            o You are being asked to take what you already know and use, or apply, it to the effect of a low mutation rate of a virus.
 
Gather Content
  What do you already know about viral mutation rates? What other information is related to the question?
        · Chickenpox is caused by the virus varicella zoster.
        · Varicella zoster is a virus that has a low mutation rate compared to other viruses.
        · A vaccine is the intentional injection of epitopes of a pathogen. This will not cause disease, but will stimulate antibody production in the recipient.
        · The efficacy of antibodies that are stimulated by the receipt of a vaccine relies on the recognition by the antibodies of epitopes on the antigen of the virus.
        · If a virus does not mutate quickly, its epitopes remain unchanged and can be recognized by the antibodies.
 
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        · While chickenpox can become latent for decades and reappear as shingles later, this is not a consequence of the low mutation rate.
        · Differences in symptoms between influenza and chickenpox are also not a consequence of mutation rate.
        · Because of influenza's high mutation rate, immunity against last year's version of the virus may not protect against this year's virus.
        · Chickenpox immunity is much longer-lasting because the virus does not change significantly and can still be recognized by the immune system of the host.

Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        · Apply level:
            o Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to use the mutation orate of viruses in a new situation. If you got an incorrect answer, did you remember that mutations can change viruses so they are no longer recognizable by the immune system of the host? Did you have trouble extending the mutation rate of viruses to determine the correct answer?