Now that we have discussed influenza pathogenesis in humans and the innate immune defenses, we can tackle the conclusion that type I IFN mediates the development of secondary bacterial pneumonia in mice. Secondary bacterial pneumonia occurs after the patient has begun to recover from influenza infection, and often influenza virus can no longer be isolated. …
Interferons and secondary pneumonia after influenza Read More »
The fact that viruses routinely and frequently cause disease shows that our defense mechanisms are imperfect. This occurs in large part because nearly every viral genome encodes one or more countermeasures to modulate host defenses. Influenza virus is no exception. One of the viral proteins, called NS1, is particularly adept at impairing the synthesis of …
How influenza virus inhibits early antiviral responses Read More »
In response to viral infection, many organisms mount a remarkable defense known as the immune response. This response to viral infection consists of an innate, or nonspecific component, and an adaptive, or specific defense. The innate response is considered the first line of immune defense because it is active even before infection begins. In fact, …
The following is from a story posted 2 June 2009 in Central Florida News 13: OCOEE — Grief counselors will be available at Ocoee High School Tuesday after a student died suddenly from an unidentified virus Sunday. Here are my questions. 1. How can it be stated that the student died ‘from an unidentified virus’ if no …
When influenza virus is introduced into the respiratory tract, by aerosol or by contact with saliva or other respiratory secretions from an infected individual, it attaches to and replicates in epithelial cells. The virus replicates in cells of both the upper and lower respiratory tract. Viral replication combined with the immune response to infection (which …
I joined host Marc Pelletier and Andre Nantel, Justin Sanchez, and Dave Brodbeck for a discussion on recent big stories in bioscience. Topics included wooly mammoths, cybernetics, viruses in the oceans, and controlling your computer with your brain. Download Futures in Biotech 43 or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.
