Arenavirus: Difference between revisions

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

No edit summary
Tag: visualeditor-wikitext
 
CSV import
 
Line 1: Line 1:
A family of viruses that includes the viral hemorrhagic fevers such as [[Lassa fever]], [[Argentine hemorrhagic fever]], [[Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever]], [[Brazilian hemorrhagic fever]], and [[Bolivian hemorrhagic fever]].
{{Short description|Anatomical space in the thorax}}


== List of hemorrhagic fevers ==
The '''aortopulmonary space''' is an anatomical region in the thorax, located between the [[aorta]] and the [[pulmonary artery]]. This space is clinically significant as it contains important structures and is a site where certain pathological conditions can manifest.
= ''Arenaviridae'' =


* The ''Arenaviridae'' are a family of viruses whose members are generally associated with rodent-transmitted diseases in humans.  
==Anatomy==
* Each virus usually is associated with a particular rodent host species in which it is maintained.
The aortopulmonary space is situated in the superior mediastinum, bordered anteriorly by the ascending aorta and posteriorly by the pulmonary trunk. It is a triangular area that is also bounded superiorly by the aortic arch and inferiorly by the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk.
* Arenavirus infections are relatively common in humans in some areas of the world and can cause severe illnesses.


== Features of the viruses ==
===Contents===
* The virus particles are spherical and have an average diameter of 110-130 nanometers.
The aortopulmonary space contains several important structures, including:
* All are enveloped in a lipid (fat) membrane.
* The [[ligamentum arteriosum]], a remnant of the fetal ductus arteriosus, which connects the aorta to the pulmonary artery.
* Viewed in cross-section, they show grainy particles that are ribosomes acquired from their host cells.  
* The left recurrent [[laryngeal nerve]], which loops under the aortic arch and ascends towards the larynx.
* It is this characteristic that gave them their name, derived from the Latin “arena”, which means “sandy”.  
* Lymph nodes, which are part of the mediastinal lymphatic system and can be involved in various diseases, including cancer and infections.
* Their genome, or genetic material, is composed of RNA only, and while their replication strategy is not completely understood, we know that new viral particles, called virions, are created by budding from the surface of their hosts’ cells.


== Arenavirus history ==
==Clinical Significance==
* The first Arenavirus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), was isolated in 1933 during a study of an epidemic of St. Louis encephalitis. Although not the cause of the outbreak, LCMV was found to be a cause of aseptic (nonbacterial) meningitis.
The aortopulmonary space is of clinical importance due to its contents and its proximity to major cardiovascular structures. Pathological conditions that can affect this space include:
* By the 1960s, several similar viruses had been discovered and they were classified into the new family ''Arenaviridae''.
* Since Tacaribe virus was found in 1956, new Arenavirus have been discovered on the average of every one to three years.
* A number of Arenavirus have been isolated in rodents only, but few cause hemorrhagic disease.
* Junin virus, isolated in 1958, was the first of these to be recognized.
* This virus causes Argentine hemorrhagic fever in a limited agrigultural area of the pampas in Argentina.
* Several years later, in 1963, in the remote savannas of the Beni province of Bolivia, Machupo virus was isolated.
* The next member of the virus family to be associated with an outbreak of human illness was Lassa virus in Nigeria in 1969. The most recent additions to these human pathogenic viruses were Guanarito detected in Venezuela in 1989, Sabia in Brazil in 1993, Chapare in Bolivia in 2004, and Lujo in South Africa in 2008.


== Arenaviruses groups ==
* '''Aortopulmonary window defects''': Congenital heart defects where there is an abnormal communication between the aorta and the pulmonary artery.
Arenavirus are divided into two groups: the New World or Tacaribe complex and the Old World or LCM/Lassa complex. Viruses in these groups that cause mild or severe illness in humans and are listed below by date of discovery:
* '''Aneurysms''': Aneurysms of the aorta or pulmonary artery can expand into this space, potentially compressing adjacent structures.
{| class="wikitable"
* '''Lymphadenopathy''': Enlargement of the lymph nodes in this area can occur due to infections, malignancies, or inflammatory conditions.
|+Arenaviruses that cause human diseases
!Virus
!Disease
!Year discovered
|-
|Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)
|Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
|1933
|-
|Junin virus
|Argentine hemorrhagic fever
|1958
|-
|Machupo virus
|Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
|1963
|-
|Lassa virus
|Lassa fever
|1969
|-
|Guanarito virus
|Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever
|1989
|-
|Sabia
|Brazilian hemorrhagic fever
|1993
|-
|Chapare
|Chapare hemorrhagic fever
|2004
|-
|Lujo
|Lujo hemorrhagic fever
|2008
|}


{{Zoonotic viral diseases}}
==Imaging==
The aortopulmonary space can be visualized using various imaging modalities, including:


{{Taxonbar|from=Q2368907}}
* '''Chest X-ray''': May show widening of the mediastinum or other indirect signs of pathology.
* '''CT scan''': Provides detailed images of the aortopulmonary space and its contents, useful for diagnosing aneurysms, lymphadenopathy, and other conditions.
* '''MRI''': Offers excellent soft tissue contrast and can be used to assess the structures within the aortopulmonary space.


[[Category:Arenaviridae| ]]
==Related pages==
[[Category:Arthropod-borne viral fevers and viral haemorrhagic fevers]]
* [[Aorta]]
* [[Pulmonary artery]]
* [[Superior mediastinum]]
* [[Ligamentum arteriosum]]
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Aortopulmonary_window.jpg|Diagram showing the aortopulmonary window.
File:Aortopulmonary_angle.jpg|Illustration of the aortopulmonary angle.
</gallery>
 
[[Category:Thoracic anatomy]]

Latest revision as of 17:17, 11 February 2025

Anatomical space in the thorax


The aortopulmonary space is an anatomical region in the thorax, located between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This space is clinically significant as it contains important structures and is a site where certain pathological conditions can manifest.

Anatomy[edit]

The aortopulmonary space is situated in the superior mediastinum, bordered anteriorly by the ascending aorta and posteriorly by the pulmonary trunk. It is a triangular area that is also bounded superiorly by the aortic arch and inferiorly by the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk.

Contents[edit]

The aortopulmonary space contains several important structures, including:

  • The ligamentum arteriosum, a remnant of the fetal ductus arteriosus, which connects the aorta to the pulmonary artery.
  • The left recurrent laryngeal nerve, which loops under the aortic arch and ascends towards the larynx.
  • Lymph nodes, which are part of the mediastinal lymphatic system and can be involved in various diseases, including cancer and infections.

Clinical Significance[edit]

The aortopulmonary space is of clinical importance due to its contents and its proximity to major cardiovascular structures. Pathological conditions that can affect this space include:

  • Aortopulmonary window defects: Congenital heart defects where there is an abnormal communication between the aorta and the pulmonary artery.
  • Aneurysms: Aneurysms of the aorta or pulmonary artery can expand into this space, potentially compressing adjacent structures.
  • Lymphadenopathy: Enlargement of the lymph nodes in this area can occur due to infections, malignancies, or inflammatory conditions.

Imaging[edit]

The aortopulmonary space can be visualized using various imaging modalities, including:

  • Chest X-ray: May show widening of the mediastinum or other indirect signs of pathology.
  • CT scan: Provides detailed images of the aortopulmonary space and its contents, useful for diagnosing aneurysms, lymphadenopathy, and other conditions.
  • MRI: Offers excellent soft tissue contrast and can be used to assess the structures within the aortopulmonary space.

Related pages[edit]

Gallery[edit]

Retrieved from "https://wikimd.com/index.php?title=Arenavirus&oldid=6285585"