Monday, March 30, 2009

Coxsackie a

Hi, I'm Coxsackie A Virus.
I'm an Enterovirus.
I'm from the
Picornaviridae family.
I'm named after a town in New York where I was first found.

I am the main cause of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Guess where this rash appears?
That's right! Your hands, feet and mouth.

I get into your lungs and respiratory system.
I also cause meningitis, gastro, pericarditis, myocarditis and herpangina.
I can even cause encephalitis if you get into your brain.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Marburg Virus

My name's Marburg.
I'm a filovirus, like my cousin Ebola.
I am also found in Africa.

Like Ebola, I make you bleed all over.
My name comes from a town in Germany.
I infected some workers there a long time ago.
I was brought there with some Green Monkeys.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Ebola Virus


Hiya, I'm Ebola!
I'm a filovirus.
Me and my family are very rare.

I am a hook shape.


I get into you through blood and other fluids.

I cause haemorrhagic fever.

I quickly work on turning your organs into a mush.

I live is Africa, though I'd like to travel.
I'm very famous in books and movies.
My name comes from a river in Zaire.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Human Metapneumovirus


I am Human Metapneumovirus.
I'm the from family Paramyxoviridae.
I am a Pneumovirus.

I was first found in 2001.
I'm big with kids and the elderly.
I am not as well known as my cousin RSV, but I do a lot of the same things that they do.
I cause wheezing and coughing.
My illness is not as severe as my cousin.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Respiratory Syncitial Virus


I am Respiratory Syncitial Virus.
I am part of the family Paramyxoviridae.


My specialty is brochiolitis in children.

I love kids under 3.
They get wheeze and cough as they try to breath.

I can cause strange sounding coughs.

When severe I give the kids respiratory distress.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Human Parainfluenza Virus


Hey there fella!
I am Human Parainfluenza Virus.
I'm from the Paramyxoviridae family.
But I'm not like my friend Influenza.

I am the most common cause of croup.
It is also called laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis.
I give kids a loud noise when they breathe in.

This is called stridor.

I also give kids a barking cough.
It sounds like a seal!

Friday, March 06, 2009

mumps


Hello
My name is Mumps.
I'm from the Paramyxoviridae family.

I cause parotitis in kids.
I make the glands in the mouth swell up.
They become sore and tender.

I am good at causing orchitis in boys.
I cause meningitis and encephelitis in the brain, even deafness.
I also like the thyroid gland and pancreas.

You can vaccinate against me.



Thursday, March 05, 2009

Measles (Rubeola) virus


Hello my name is Measles.
I am also called Rubeola and 1st disease.
I am part of the Paramyxoviridae family.

I cause a special kind of exanthem, or rash.
My rash starts on your head, then moves down to your chest and then to your legs.

I give you red spots with blue centres inside your mouth.
These are called Koplick spots.
I can also cause subacute sclerosing pan-encephalitis.
This is a disease that shuts down your brain.

I used to be found a lot in kids, but nowadays most kids are vaccinated against me.



Monday, March 02, 2009

Rubella


Hello, I'm the Rubella Virus.
I'm a Togavirus, of the Rubivirus species.

I am also called "German measles".
I get into your lungs.
I give you a red rash on your face, then the rest of your body.
I give you fever, joint pain and enlarged lymph nodes.

When I infect pregnant women I cause congenital rubella syndrome.
I cause congenital defects in the liver and spleen.
I can give children cataracts, heart defects and deafness.