Thirty-two–year-old Jason is a general laborer, who fell ill shortly after working on a job digging up old water pipes for the town he lived in
The task involved working around shallow pools of stagnant water. Ten days after the contract ended, Jason developed a fever and aching muscles. He also had nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Jason's friend took him to his physician who listened carefully to Jason's history. She told him she suspected West Nile fever and ordered serological testing. Jason went home to recover and was feeling better by the end of the week.
1. Jason's physician ordered serological tests. How would antibody titers assist the doctor in confirming his diagnosis?
2. When Jason was feeling at his worst, he had extreme malaise, vomiting, and diarrhea. What stage of the illness was he experiencing at that time? What are the physiological mechanisms that give rise to the signs and symptoms of infectious illness?
3. West Nile virus has a single-stranded RNA genome. How does this virus replicate? In general terms, what are the various effects viruses can have on host cells?
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Ans:
Antibody titers (or levels) indicate the presence of infection. Certain titers are elevated during the acute phase of a specific illness and tend to decline during convalescence.
When Jason was feeling at his worst, he was experiencing the acute phase of the illness. At this time, there is rapid proliferation and spread of the pathogen within the body. Toxic by-products of microbial metabolism and cell lysis contribute to the specific signs and symptoms of the invading pathogen. The host's immune response generates inflammation and tissue damage, further adding to the clinical presentation.
Viruses have either a single DNA or RNA strand. In order to replicate, they require the genetic material of a host and cannot replicate outside of a living cell. Once in the host cell, they may replicate and migrate from the cell through "budding" or through cellular lysis. Alternatively, they may lie in a state of latency to create disease at a later time or alter the genetic material of the host cell to create malignant transformation.
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