Question

Why can't dogs catch the measles?

   Why can't dogs catch the measles?

Concepts of Biology

Concepts of Biology

Samantha Fowler,… 1st Edition

Chapter 17, Problem 16

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Arwen Xu

05/29/2020

Step 1

This is because the virus has evolved to specifically target and attach to certain proteins that are expressed on the surface of human cells. In mathematical terms, let's denote the measles virus as \(V\), and the specific protein on human cells that it attaches Show more…

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Why can't dogs catch the measles?

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Key Concepts

Host Specificity

This concept refers to the tendency of certain pathogens, including viruses, to infect only specific species. The genetic and molecular compatibility between a pathogen and its host means that a virus such as the measles virus has evolved to target cells in humans and may not be able to infect other species due to differences in physiology and immune response.

Species Barrier

The species barrier is the natural resistance observed in different species against pathogens that are adapted to another host. This barrier includes structural differences at the cellular level, different immune system defenses, and the absence of necessary receptors, which prevents a virus like measles from infecting animals such as dogs.

Virus-Receptor Interactions

Viruses initiate infection by binding to specific receptors on the host cell surface. The measles virus targets receptors that are uniquely or predominantly found in human cells. Dogs, lacking these specific receptors or having different receptor structures, naturally resist infection by the measles virus.

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