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.