Human Rotavirus

Influenza H3N2

Borna 1

 

Human Rotavirus

 

Description of virus (taxonomy): member of Reoviridae family, Rotavirus genus

 

Power

Offenses

         Attacks: Virus attacks mature enterocytes in GI tract, destroying the absorptive surface area of the intestinal villi

         Outcome: Severe dehydrating infantile diarrhea; responsible for 500,000-800,000 deaths per year due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance; vomiting, then diarrhea and fever

         Speed: Incubation 1-3 days; die within 3 days

Defenses

         Vaccine: Rotashield was recalled due to increased risk of intussusception

         Behavioral: Sanitation does not help!

         Treatment: Rehydration therapy (oral or parenteral)

Game Action: Run as fast as you can to the nearest toilet! Then drink a lot of Gatorade.

One liner: "Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't escape me, I'm the severe diarrhea causing man"

 


Influenza A H3N2

 

Description of virus (taxonomy): member of Orthomyxoviridae family, Influenza A genus

 

Power: Causes yearly epidemics; responsible for 1968-69 pandemic ("Hong Kong flu")

Offenses

         Attacks: cells of the respiratory tract

         Outcome: Fever, headache, weakness, muscle aches, general myalgia; young, elderly, and immunocompromised at a higher risk of mortality

         Speed: Rapid (24 hour) onset

Defenses

         Vaccine: Trivalent inactivated vaccine; new live, attenuated FluMist vaccine

         Behavioral: Handwashing

Treatment: M2 (uncoating) inhibitors (amantadine and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir); have to be taken within about a day after exposure

Game Action: Run to the nearest doctor's office for your yearly vaccine!

Public health officials, quiver in fear at the thought of recombination with swine or avian flu!

One liner: Influenza, the true slime of the virus world

 


Borna 1

 

Description of virus (taxonomy): member of the Bornaviridae family

 

Power: Makes you crazy!

Offenses

         Attacks: travels by intraxonal migration through olfactory nerve to CNS; targets limbic and hypothalamic regions, areas that affect host mood, behavior, and memory

         Outcome: neuropsychiatric diseases ("sad horse disease") and infectious encephalomyelitis of horses, cows, and sheep; tentatively linked to schizophrenia, depression, and paranoid psychosis; characteristic viral inclusion bodies (Joest bodies)

         Speed

Defenses

         Vaccine: None

         Behavioral: Don't hang out with sick horses

         Treatment: None

Game Action: Make an appointment with a psychiatrist Ð you're going to need it!

One liner: Borna, the mystery man who drives you crazy because you just can't figure out what's going on in his head.