Download 7th grade Viruses Essential Questions Viruses What is a virus? How

7th grade
Essential Questions
Viruses
Viruses
What is a virus?
 Cold sores, measles, chicken pox, colds, the flu, and AIDS are diseases caused by
nonliving particles called viruses.
How does a virus attack  A virus is a strand of hereditary material surrounded by a protein coat.
cells?
 Viruses do not have a nucleus, other organelles, or a cell membrane.
 A virus multiplies by making copies of itself by infecting living cells called host
What is the difference
cells. Because of this viruses are considered to be parasites.
between an active and
 Active Viruses: New viruses are made immediately after being invaded by
latent virus?
viruses. The virus’s genetic material is sent to the nucleus where it is copied to
How do vaccines
make more viruses. The cell is destroyed after releasing the viruses.
prevent infections?
 Latent Viruses: These are viruses that are hidden and inactive while inside the
host cell. Only certain conditions will cause the virus to become active. Cold
How can viruses be
sores are common examples of this. Becoming sick or stressed can activate
helpful?
these dormant viruses. The sexually transmitted disease (STD) herpes is
another example of a latent virus. This is what makes many STDs so dangerous
Why aren’t anti-viral
because if an individual is being irresponsible about being involved in sexual
medications given very
activity they could be unknowingly spreading this viral disease. Herpes is an
frequently by Doctors?
incurable latent virus.
Who developed
 Viruses can infect animals, plants, fungi, protists, and all bacteria. Viruses that
vaccines?
infect bacteria are called bacteriophages.
 Most viruses can only infect specific kinds of cells.
How where vaccines
 They cannot move by themselves. That can be carried by the wind and
first discovered?
exchanging of bodily fluids in different ways: like kissing, drinking after
someone who is sick, eating after an infected individual, etc…
What are ways of
 Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections but do not work against viral
preventing the spread
diseases. Antibiotics weaken cell walls and since viruses do not have cell walls
of viruses?
these drugs have no affect on viruses.
How role do interferons  Antiviral drugs can be given to help fight viruses but are not given often because
play in helping your
of the adverse side effects. Prevention is the best way to fight viral diseases.
body fight a viral
 Vaccination, improving sanitary conditions, separating patients with viral
infection?
diseases, controlling animal population (like how yellow fever was wiped out by
mosquito-control programs).
What happens to a cell
 Interferons are produced by your body to help fight off the spread of viruses.
after new viruses are
They attach to non-infected cells and cause them to produce a protective
released?
covering.
How do viruses get
 Vaccines are made from weakened or dead virus particles that cause your body
inside of a cell?
to produce interferons to fight the infection. Edward Jenner created vaccines in
1796.
How is the bug spray
 Scientists are using viruses in gene therapy. This works by taking a normal gene
guy, who drives around
and putting it inside a virus and then the virus delivers the normal gene to the
the city, preventing the
cells. Scientists hope to cure genetic disorders and cancer with this technique.
spread of diseases?
And hopefully the cure for AIDS.