Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a causative agent of COVID-19 infections. In late December, 2019 emergence and pandemic outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 virus has created serious health threat globally, unlike emergence of SARS-CoV in 2002, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) in 2012. Globally, about 4,434,653 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections are reported including 302,169 deaths. Wild animals’ bat, snakes, and pangolins are potential sources of this virus, based on the sequence homology of these animals and the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 virus isolated from infected persons. Human infection occurs due to the inhalation of respiratory droplets, which mainly infects the lower respiratory tract causing a mild flu like symptoms that may extend to severe pneumonia. Currently, there are no any vaccines or antiviral drugs against this virus. Treatment of patients is based mainly on symptomatic management. The aims of the present study were to summarize the information on the origin, evolution, structure and genomes, epidemiology, molecular immunopathogenesis, and diagnostic approaches of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Moreover, we discuss the current approaches, progress in vaccine development, and the antiviral therapies to cope with COVID-19 infection. Thus, the information and data gathered on coronavirus will be helpful in understanding all the aspects on SARS-CoV-2 virus, and helps to reduce the global health threat and economic impact.
Highlights
Coronavirus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) enveloped virus, with a size ranging from 65-125 nm in diameter
Coronaviruses causing the human infections are originated from wild animals including bats, pangolins and camel, and transmission to the human occurred through intermediate hosts such as; civet cat, camel and pangolins
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that early treatment with remdesivir as an antiviral drug significantly reduced the clinical disease, and reduced the damage of the lungs of rhesus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2
Summary
Coronavirus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) enveloped virus, with a size ranging from 65-125 nm in diameter. SARS-CoV-1, MERS and SARSCoV-2 were reported to cause severe lower respiratory tract infection leading to pneumonia. Stevenson et al, (2013); Chen et al, (2014) reported that in 2013, emergence and spread porcine epidemic diarrhea coronavirus (PEDV) in the United States has killed more than 10% population of piglets of less than a year in age. This virus has a high fatality rate of almost 100%, and seriously impacted the pig farming in USA. This study will be very fruitful in the control and treatment of COVD-19 infection
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