Food Safety and Security: Discussion 6

When comparing and contrasting the picornaviruses, caliciviruses and astro/rotaviruses which are common food viruses, there are some details to keep in mind. They all affect different body parts and have different symptoms. They are relatively in the same class, but they may or may not have vaccines. Some are easier to study than others. Some of them can be grown in a lab, others cannot. They have different numbers of RNA strands in some cases. They affect different people and types of creatures of different ages. They have different shapes. The Baltimore classification is used to classify viruses based on their genome and the way they replicate. Class IV viruses share these qualities in common and may be classified as positive or negative, and they commonly have one RNA strand. These food do share a commonality in that they may be present in food and they may sometimes be passed between human and animal.

Picornaviruses affect vertebrate enteric track (or rhinoviruses affect the mouth and nose) and have a small RNA virus, a single strand, as indicated by their name’s meaning. This class IV virus includes the cold (rhinoviruses), hepatitis (hepatoviruses) and Enteroviruses, but there are over 50 species. Enteroviruses can survive acidic environments such as gastric acid. This ability to resist the digestive process means it may survive to reproduce.

Caliciviruses are also class IV. They also have one RNA strand which is common for class IV viruses. The virus also affects vertebrates. Unlike the picornavirus however, it is harder to study since it doesn’t grow in cultures and we didn’t have an animal to work with. However, we have recently found a version in monkeys we can study. If we are able to learn more from this virus we will be able to compare it more effectively with the other forms of viruses which are more common and easier to study and therefore understand.

Fecal-oral is the most common way rotaviruses are transmitted. Vaccines are the best way to prevent rotaviruses. Rotaviruses primarily infect infants and young children. You do not gain effective immunity after having rotaviruses. It is a double stranded RNA, which is in contrast from the other types of aforementioned viruses. It is made of six viral proteins. It still kills many children each year. In areas where it may not be as sanitary, where children do not get vaccinated, or where the environment creates a risk, the children may risk dehydrating. This can prove to have fatal results. It may give gastroenteritis and dehydration is a risk. The loss of liquids may leave the person vulnerable. It may affect older adults as they age and sometimes it may even effect older children.

 Astroviruses have been found in mammals and avians. It affects the stomach and digestive system. It may dehydrate the person inflicted with it. Staying hygienic is an important way to avoid being affected.  The more times a person has an astrovirus does not necessarily grant them immunity so staying clean is important to avoid the virus and its effects.