By Emily Zhou During the inhospitable winter and spring months, the flu runs rampant around urbanized cities with high population density, initiating another season of terrible illness. We have become accustomed enough to its presence to perceive it as an almost harmless disease; in reality, most people are uneducated about the operations of this illness and, unfortunately, many still pass away due to improper treatment. The Biology Behind The FluInfluenza is an airborne pathogen that causes a respiratory disease characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, and inflammation in the respiratory tract. The virion is generally enveloped by a phospholipid bilayer with protruding hemagglutinin and neuraminidase glycoproteins scattered on the surface, which are essential to its replication process. The single-stranded RNA enclosed within the viral envelope contains seven to eight gene segments, categorizing the virus into Type A, B, and C. The spherical or ovular particles are 80 to 120 nanometers in diameter, seventy times smaller than an average red blood cell. Imagine the virus as a robber attempting to commit burglary. Infection occurs as the pathogen floating around in the air accidentally “discovers the entrance”, usually the nose and mouth. Inhaled into the the human respiratory system, the hemagglutinin binds to sialic acid sugars located on epithelial cells lining the inner cavities on organs, and the criminal successfully “breaks and enters” into the cell through endocytosis. Protons brought through transmembrane proteins known as M2 ion channels decrease the intracellular pH to dissolve the capsid enclosing the blueprint of the virus. RNA polymerase replicates the genetic material amalgamated with the original DNA; by taking advantage of the host cell mechanisms, a fully-equipped army of “robbers” is created as neuraminidase cleaves the mature virus from the host cell membrane. When the human sneezes or coughs, the assembled viruses are shot into the air to wreak havoc upon others. Treatment and Further ResearchInfluenza, due to its highly contagious nature, is still remarkably prevalent despite its widespread treatment, contributing to an average of 250,000 deaths annually. The key to survival for this disease is its high rate of mutation. Viral RNA has no proofreading mechanisms like those in DNA replication; thus, mutations are left unattended to spawn undiscovered strains in each spontaneous generation. Antigenic drift occurs as the subtle changes in nucleic acid sequences accumulate to change the antigen proteins in a way that doesn’t evoke the immune response. In rare occasions, the simultaneous integration of two viral genomes into a host cell produces hybrid viral strains that gain the capability to affect a different range of species. The ultimate question is why there are such high mortality rates despite the development of the medical field and the seasonal vaccines given to those of all ages. The answer, perhaps, may be because people tend to underestimate the abilities of this disease when coupled with other agents. Co-infection is common as bacterial pathogens invade the body systems during the moment of vulnerability. A highly reactive immune system can also provoke sepsis to cause multiple organ failure due to body-wide inflammation; the swelling of vital organs such as the brain and lungs impairs their function and often leads to an expeditious death. On the other hand, the flu should not lead to a situation of paranoia. If contacted, a combination of rest, adequate hydration, and medication should give your immune system enough buffer to eventually eliminate the malignant invader and let you continue your happy, healthy life. CitationsMolecular Expressions Cell Biology: The Influenza (Flu) Virus, micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/viruses/influenzavirus.html. Chodosh, Sara. “How People Die from the Flu.” Popular Science, 8 Feb. 2018, www.popsci.com/die-from-flu-symptoms#page-2. “Influenza.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza#Replication. McLendon, Russell. “How Does the Flu Work?” MNN - Mother Nature Network, Mother Nature Network, 30 Jan. 2018, www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/how-does-the-flu-work. “The Reason for the Season: Why Flu Strikes in Winter.” Science in the News, 4 Dec. 2016, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2014/the-reason-for-the-season-why-flu-strikes-in-winter/. Samji, Tasleem. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, YJBM, Dec. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2794490/. Shtyrya, Y.A., et al. Acta Naturae, A.I. Gordeyev, July 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3347517/. Welch, Ashley. “How Do People Die from the Flu?” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 29 Jan. 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/how-do-people-die-from-the-flu/. Suggested Readings
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