Bringing Home More than a Medal

By Tracie M. Addy, Kathryn A. Phillips, Maura O. Stevenson

Abstract

This case study was inspired by the Zika virus outbreak that occurred around the time of the 2016 Olympic Games. Many athletes were fearful of attending because of the link between Zika virus infection and microcephaly in infants. This concern, however, ran contrary to reports suggesting that the risk of athletes and other travelers becoming infected was remarkably low. Jessica, a fictional Olympic equestrian and the main character of the case, was unfortunately very unlucky and contracted Zika virus near the time of the Games. She ended up enduring negative health complications likely as a consequence of the infection. This case was designed to be implemented in the nervous system unit of a human biology or anatomy and physiology course. The case is also appropriate for microbiology and public health courses. Students are expected to have foundational knowledge in viral life cycles, and will explore disruptions in neurotransmission as well as abnormal fetal brain development.

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Date Posted

02/03/2017

Overview

Objectives

Describe how viruses (including Zika virus) infect cells.
Describe how biological samples can be tested.
Design a test and procedure for monitoring athletes for Zika virus infection.
Synthesize information to assess whether infection by Zika virus is likely.
Describe the basics of neural transmission.
Apply knowledge of neural transmission malfunction to Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Describe normal brain development.
Apply knowledge of normal brain development to nervous system malfunction caused by Zika virus infection.

Keywords

Zika virus; neurotransmission; microcephaly; Guillain-Barre; brain development; microcephaly; myelin sheath; neurotransmitter; infection; Rio; Olympics

Subject Headings

Biology (General)

Developmental Biology

Medicine (General)

Microbiology

Neuroscience

Physiology

Public Health

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division

FORMAT

PDF

TOPICAL AREAS

N/A

LANGUAGE

English

TYPE/METHODS

Directed, Discussion, Interrupted

Teaching Notes & Answer Key

Teaching Notes

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Answer Key

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Materials & Media

Supplemental Materials

The supplemental materials below can be used with this case study.

Videos

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
In this video, scientists with the company Oxitec explain how they engineered mosquitoes to carry a "lethality" gene that prevents mosquito larvae from growing into adults unless they are fed the antibiotic tetracycline. The genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes were first produced in 2002 and bred in the lab to give rise to a colony of mosquitoes all dependent on tetracycline. This antibiotic - the antidote to the lethality gene - is available to the mosquitoes in the lab, but not in the wild. In 2015, male mosquitoes from this GM colony were released in some areas of Brazil to help stop the spread of Zika virus. When male GM-mosquitoes mate with non-GM females in the wild, they pass on the lethality gene to the offspring who, without access to tetracycline, die before growing into adults. Running time: 8:35 min. Produced by HHMI BioInteractive.
Viral Life Cycle
This short animation shows how a virus infects the cell, replicates, and give rise to many progeny viruses. These viruses can then infect many neighboring cells. Running time: 1:08 min. Produced by HHMI BioInteractive.
Sizing Up the Brain Gene by Gene
In this video lecture, Dr. Christopher Walsh discusses the human brain as a complex network of cells whose organization and function are controlled by many genes. By working with patients who have developmental brain disorders, Walsh and his team have begun to identify genes that are required for proper brain development. This research has led to some surprising insights, such as a connection between cell division orientation and cell fate during the development of the cerebral cortex. Running time: 59:32 min. Produced by HHMI BioInteractive.