ELIMINATE ALL VIRUSES? THE GREAT DEBATE

BENEFICIAL USES FOR VIRUSES - Gene therapy – using virus mechanics to aid in changing mutated cells - Cowpox – vaccinations to prevent diseases - viral symbiosis with gut tract** check facts - pest control – create viruses to combat pests

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF VIRUSES - illness!!! Death!!! 36, 000 people die annually Spanish flu – mil ppl dead Transmitted host to host Mutates quickly to a new strain

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Built to stop pathogens (disease causing microbes)

NON-SPECIFIC DEFENSES Skin (keeps pathogens out!) Mucous membranes (line areas exposed to outside and trap microbes for disposal) Phagocytic White blood cells (engulf invading microbes and destroy them)

Antigen – a foreign substance that triggers the specific immune response Antibody – a protein that is able to bind to specific antigens to mark it for destruction

SPECIFIC DEFENSES Lymphocyte white blood cells produce antibodies These antibodies attach to the antigen and send a signal that it needs to be destroyed A phagocytic white blood cell will then come to engulf the antigen

Lymphocytes “remember” antigens and are ready with the antibody if it makes its way back into the body This gives you immunity to viruses you have already had

HOW TO STOP THE SPREAD OF VIRUSES

GOOD HYGIENE Wash your hands

VACCINATIONS A injection of a weak form of a virus to produce antibodies to future infections

CONTAINMENT Stay home when you are sick!

VIRAL SPECIFICITY

Specific viruses infect specific organisms Plant viruses won’t infect animals, etc. Because: receptors on virus have to match receptors on host cell

A STORY THAT WENT VIRAL /5 Create a story (one page or less) describing a flu virus’s trip through the immune system Tell it from the virus’s point of view, perhaps relaying what it sees as it makes its way through the human body Include how the virus passes/sees the non-specific immune system and ends with the specific immune system You may end the story with the virus or the body winning