Match each patient's clinical presentation with the specific host cell receptor targeted by the responsible viral pathogen.
- A 6-year-old girl presenting with a bright red macular rash on her cheeks followed by a lacy, reticular rash on her extremities.Erythrocyte P antigen (globoside)
- A 20-year-old college student presenting with severe fatigue, exudative pharyngitis, splenomegaly, and atypical lymphocytosis.CD21 (Complement receptor 2)
- A 35-year-old spelunker presenting with agitation, muscle spasms, and severe pharyngeal pain when attempting to drink water.Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)
- A 25-year-old teacher presenting with low-grade fever, rhinorrhea, and a scratchy throat resolving over 5 days.Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)
- A 65-year-old man presenting with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, bilateral ground-glass opacities, and sudden anosmia.Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)
Answer
Parvovirus B19 matches with Erythrocyte P antigen; EBV matches with CD21; Rabies virus matches with nAChR; Rhinovirus matches with ICAM-1; and SARS-CoV-2 matches with ACE2.
Each vignette describes a distinct viral infection characterized by a highly specific host cellular receptor required for initial pathogenesis. Parvovirus B19 targets the P antigen on erythroid precursors; Epstein-Barr Virus targets CD21 on B cells; Rabies virus targets the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction; Rhinovirus targets ICAM-1 on respiratory epithelium; and SARS-CoV-2 targets ACE2 on pneumocytes.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Viral tropism and the resulting clinical pathogenesis are fundamentally determined by the ability of specific viral surface proteins to bind distinct host cell receptors.