This template must be used to answer the case study.

(Please type your answers within the box underneath each question)

Student name (LAST NAME first name):

Student number:
Campus:
Tutorial session (time and room no.):
Tutor’s name:

1. Fever development and benefits (Total: 20 marks)

1.1 What is fever? Explain how Peter’s fever developed.14 marks

Fever is temporary rise of body temperature which is the immune reaction of our body
towards the pathogens. Peter has been infected by the influenza virus.

Influenza is a severe sickness that aims the overlying respiratory linings as well as creates
swelling of the overlying respiratory branches as well as trachea. The severe signals exists
for 7-10 days, along with the illness is self-restricted in the majority of the fine people. The
defence response to these viral infestation as well as the defence protein reactions are
accountable for the viral disease that comprises higher fever, rhinitis, along with pain in
body parts. 1

Human influenza virus contamination propagates mainly in the respiratory epithelium cells.
Several cell kinds, comprising different defence cells, could be contaminated by the virus
as well as might commence viral amino acids generation. But, viral propagation proficiency
differs between cell kinds, along with, in humans; the respiratory tissues are the sole
location for the hemagglutinin (HA) biomolecules is substantially splitted, developing
contaminating virus molecules. Virus contamination takes place when a hostile person
nears the approach with air particles or respiratory discharges from an infested person. 2

1.2 State, with explanation, two benefits of fever.6 marks

Two benefits of fever are:

1. Fever activates signalling pathway: A signalling pathway known as Nuclear Factor

kappa B (NF-kB) is crucial for the body’s swelling reaction in the situation of
contamination or sickness. NF-kB are amino acids that aids in managing gene
expression along with the generation of typical defence cells. These amino acids
react to the existence of viral or bacterial biomolecules in the human body, as well
as that is when they initiate altering associated genes associated to every defence

1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459363/
2
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6642581/
 reaction on and off at cellular region. 3

2. Fever stimulates the immune system: The defence mechanism reacts in opposing
to defend against the contamination as well as fortifies the body. Microbes could
merely exist at particular heat spectrums. The natural surveillance inside our body
comprehends this as well as had accepted from the initial time to develop an
atmosphere that is not suitable for these pathogenic microbes. 4

3. Prescription, mode of action and effectiveness of phenoxymethylpenicillin. (Total: 25

marks)

a. Given that influenza is caused by a virus, why was Peter prescribed an antibiotic?5 marks

Peter was prescribed with phenoxymethylpenicillin antibiotic because he has developed

the symptoms of a sore throat (pharyngitis) and the swelling of tonsils.

b. The doctor prescribed phenoxymethylpenicillin. Discuss the mode of action of

phenoxymethylpenicillin.15 marks

The majority of bacteria have a peptidoglycan layer covering the bacterial plasma
surface, blocking rupture as well as giving structural strength. The peptidoglycan
surface is continuously restructuring during duplication along with progression.
Penicillin stops the cross-connection of peptidoglycan in the cell surface. The
enzyme for this process is penicillin-attaching amino acids, like enzyme DD-
transpeptidase. Penicillin’s four-membered β-lactam ring could be bonded to DD-
transpeptidase to diffuse it permanently. The bacteria, hence, are disable to create
their cell surfaces despite several amino acids regularly diffuses the cell surface.
Since, the bacteria cell surface trails to degrade, osmotic force penetrates water
into the bacterial cells along with destroying them. Peptidoglycan parts
furthermore damage the cell surfaces since these parts could initiate autolysins as
well as hydrolases. To enrich their impacts, the penicillins could also be mixed
with beta-lactamase blockers like clavulanic acid. Beta-lactamase blockers stops
the destruction of the beta-lactam ring in penicillin that could happen when
particular types of bacteria releases the enzyme beta-lactamase. 5

c. Explain why antibiotics are not effective against viruses.5 marks

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses because viruses are not
3
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321889
4
https://drjockers.com/fever-benefits-health/
5
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554560/
 similar with the bacteria in terms of their composition as well as their
propagation mechanism. Antibiotics function by aiming the

restriction of progression mechanism in bacteria to destroy them or

limiting those specific bacteria which is not possible in the case of

viruses. 6

4. Spreading of influenza and breaking its mode of transmission. (Total: 25 marks)

a. Name and describe three (3) possible ways that Peter could have contracted the influenza
virus (modes of transmission).15 marks

The three possible ways that Peter could have contracted the influenza virus (modes of
transmission) are as follows:

1. Direct contact transmission: It engages real physical approach among the

contaminated matters along with hostile agents. Indirect approach spreading
happens through infectious materials like exchanged kitchen wares, improperly
disinfected medical utensils, or improperly disinfected non-degradable syringes as
well as needles.

2. Common vehicle transmission: In this method of transmission, virus

spreads through the infection of food as well as water sources with
the stool from the infected person. This type of transmission
generally consequence in the epidemic situation because the
transmission rate could be at the alarming rate.

3. Airborne transmission: Normally this type of transmission normally

consequences respiration mechanism contaminations, whereas
these infestations might also be carried via direct as well as indirect
approach. Spreading via airborne pathways is through big droplets
as well as extremely tiny droplet nuclei (colloids) discharged from
the infested individuals when they cough or sneeze in the open air
(e.g. influenza) or from natural ecological origins. Bigger colloids
(bigger than 10 pm in diameter) rests instantly, whereas droplet
colloid vaporises creating arid matters (smaller than 5 pm in
diameter) that stays floating in the atmosphere for longer
6
https://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotics-and-viruses.html
 timeframes. These colloids might cover a distance of one meter or
7
these colloid particles might cover for the additional longer routes.

b. Identify and explain two (2) ways by which each of these three modes (that you have
noted in 3.1 above) of transmission could bebroken. 10 marks

The two ways by which each of these three modes of transmission could be broken are:

1. Avoiding huge crowds: Ignoring huge mass gatherings could be impossible,

however, it is vital while occurrence of virus spreading. In a particular season of
the year, if we are capable to restrict connections with individuals during high
occurrence of influenza virus, we can deduce threat of getting contamination from
the virus. The virus could spread instantly in closed areas. If person has poor
immune power should use mask during travelling in the crowd places. ]

2. Washing hands frequently: Since virus can survive on hard surfaces, we must
wash our hands frequently. We can use hand sanitizer in case of absence of
water and soap. 8

5. Replication of microorganisms (Total: 10 marks)

a. Compare and contrast the processes by which viruses and bacteria replicate. 10 marks

The main characters of viruses are their trust on surviving cells for
duplication as well as proliferation. On their self, virus’s deficient for entire
mechanism required for several surviving operations. Contamination of a
hostile as well as viral proliferation is relied on the transcription of viral
mRNA, along with in return, translation of viral amino acids and genetic
propagation. Mainly, viruses relied on host cells for:

1. Energy for genetic and viral amino acids manufacturing.

2. Amino-acids manufacturing from viral mRNAs

3. DNA or RNA manufacturing

4. Foundational compositions of the cell, in specific lipid surfaces,

comprised in virus proliferation

By developing sufficient duplicates of its genetic composition as well as

arranging these replicas into virions, the virus is capable to carry on infesting
fresh hosts. Entire viruses should hence release their genetic compositions as

7
https://www.mhealthknowledge.org/virus-infection/modes-of-virus-transmission.html
8
https://www.healthline.com/health/flu/how-to-prevent-flu-naturally#wash-your-hands
 operational mRNAs initially in contamination to forward the cellular
translational mechanism to generate viral amino acids. 9

Bacterial cell replication is enormously proficient, both due to rapid

progression rate of bacteria along with growth with reduced failing
proportion. This proficiency is founded toughness of the cell cycle along with
its alignment with cell proliferation along with cell division. Current progress
in bacterial cytology approached regarding mono-cell functional study in
microfluidic cavities advising trends of general related science designs at the
cellular stage, bonding cell dimensions as well as progression with the cell
cycle. As mono-cell microbes, they depend on cell replication to grow. The
demographic progression is normally considered to be the criteria below the
selective force via evolution. Bacteria normally amplify by binary breakage as
well as could not elevate the amount of new generation per generation
beyond double. But, they had assessed functions to sustain a mean figure of
offspring near to the optimal worth of twice, despite below non-optimal
proliferation situations. 10

6. Presentation (Total: 20 marks)

a. Referencing in-text and in reference list conforms to APA7 th Ed. referencing style.

(10 marks)

b. Critique supported by relevant literature as prescribed. Correct sentence structure,

paragraph, grammatical construction, spelling, punctuation and presentation.(10 marks)

9
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7158166/
10
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7794046/