Chapter 37: Reoviruses, Rotaviruses, and Caliciviruses

Chapter 37. Reoviruses, Rotaviruses, and Caliciviruses

A 36-year-old man enjoyed a meal of raw oysters. Twenty-four hours later, he became ill, with a sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. The most likely cause of his gastroenteritis is

(A) Astrovirus

(B) Hepatitis A virus

(C) Norwalk virus

(D) Rotavirus, group A

(E) Echovirus

This virus is the most important cause of gastroenteritis in infants and young children. It causes infections that are often severe and may be life threatening, especially in infants.

(A) Echovirus

(B) Norwalk virus

(C) Rotavirus, group A

(D) Orbivirus

(E) Parvovirus

An outbreak of epidemic gastroenteritis occurred at a wooded summer camp 24 hours after a party for visiting families. Some of the visiting parents also became ill. Samples taken 2 weeks later from the well that was the source of drinking water at the camp were negative for fecal coliforms. The most likely source of the outbreak was

(A) Mosquitoes or ticks, present in high numbers in the area

(B) Contaminated food served at the party

(C) A nearby stream used for fishing

(D) A visiting parent who was developing pneumonia

(E) The swimming pool

This viral gastroenteritis agent has a segmented, double-stranded RNA genome and a double-shelled capsid. It is a member of which virus family?

(A) Adenoviridae

(B) Astroviridae

(C) Caliciviridae

(D) Reoviridae

(E) Coronaviridae

Rotavirus and Norwalk virus are distinctly different viruses. However, they share which one of the following characteristics?

(A) Fecal–oral mode of transmission

(B) They mainly cause disease in infants and young children.

(C) They induce generally mild disease in young children.

(D) Infection patterns show no seasonal variation.

(E) A double-stranded RNA genome

Because rotavirus ...