Viral Pathogenesis, Influenza Reassortment, and HIV Molecular Biology (copy)

Peer Tutoring

Support provided by fellow students who have experience with course material, available for student assistance at tutoring centers.

Lab Quizzes

Assessments conducted in laboratory settings, all of which have concluded for the semester.

Midterm Grading Status

A mid-semester evaluation reflecting current standings in the Canvas grade book.

Unknowns Project

A significant component of the course grade allowing for high-point accumulation through dedicated effort.

Antigenic Drift

Gradual mutations in virus due to replication errors, leading to minor changes in viral antigens.

Antigenic Shift

Major genetic reassortment resulting from the coinfection of a host cell by two different influenza strains.

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the viral etiological agent causing severe immunosuppression.

AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, the advanced stage of HIV infection characterized by severely impaired immune response.

Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)

A rare lung infection commonly seen in immunocompromised patients, associated with severe HIV infection.

Kaposi Sarcoma

A malignancy associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), often observed in AIDS patients.

Baltimore Classification

A system for classifying viruses based on their mRNA production methods and genome types.

Retroviridae

The virus family that includes HIV, characterized by its RNA genome and reverse transcription process.

Neuraminidase (N)

An enzyme that helps release new virions from host cells by cleaving sialic acid.

Hemagglutinin (H)

A surface glycoprotein that mediates the attachment of the influenza virus to host cells.

Endemic

The expected, baseline presence of a disease in a particular geographic region.

Epidemic

The occurrence of a disease above the normal expected level in a population.

Pandemic

A widespread disease outbreak that affects a large portion of global population.

Gram Stain

A laboratory technique used to differentiate bacterial species into two groups based on their cell wall composition.

Genomic RNA

The RNA that carries the genetic information for a virus, in influenza it is segmented into eight pieces.

Influenza Virus

An enveloped, segmented, negative-sense RNA virus belonging to the family Orthomyxoviridae.

Viral Protease

An enzyme that cleaves viral polyproteins into functional proteins, a key target for antiretroviral drugs.

Proviral State

The integrated state of a viral genome within a host's chromosomes, allowing persistent infection.

Immune Memory

The ability of the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively to pathogens it has previously encountered.

Vaccination

The administration of a vaccine to stimulate an individual's immune system against a specific pathogen.

Breakthrough Infection

When a vaccinated individual becomes infected with a virus despite having been vaccinated against it.

Coinfection

Infection of a single host cell by multiple strains of the same or different viruses.

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)

A virus closely related to HIV, found in non-human primates, from which HIV is believed to have evolved.

Host Protease

Proteins within host cells that participate in vital cellular processes, cannot be targeted for antiviral therapies.

Diagnostic Flowchart

A pre-structured tool used in laboratory settings to guide the identification process of an unknown organism.