Abstract
The global pandemic known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review article presents the taxonomy of SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses, which have been classified as the seventh known human pathogenic coronavirus. The etiology of COVID-19 is also briefly discussed. Selected characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and HCoV-NL63 are compared in the article. The angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) has been identified as the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 viral entry. ACE2 is well-known as a counter-regulator of the renin-angiotensin system (RAAS) and plays a key role in the cardiovascular system. In the therapy of patients with COVID-19, there has been a concern about the use of RAAS inhibitors. As a result, it is hypothesized that ACE inhibitors do not directly affect ACE2 activity in clinical use. Coronaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses. Identification of the primary causative agent of the SARS-CoV-2 is essential. Sequencing showed that the genome of the Bat CoVRaTG13 virus found in bats matches the genome of up to (96.2%) of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Sufficient knowledge of the molecular and biological mechanisms along with reliable information related to SARS-CoV-2 gives hope for a quick solution to epidemiological questions and therapeutic processes.
Highlights
Received: 4 December 2020The first cases of an acute respiratory syndrome of unknown etiology were reported at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 in Wuhan, China
The new virus is genetically related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) virus, which caused severe to lethal pneumonia in 2003 in China and Canada [1,2]
Therapy in patients with COVID-19 has raised concerns about the use of Renin–angiotensin–aldosteron system (RAAS) inhibitors, which may affect the occurrence of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the cell membrane
Summary
The first cases of an acute respiratory syndrome of unknown etiology were reported at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 in Wuhan, China. A new coronavirus was the causative agent of a very rapidly spreading outbreak of respiratory disease and potentially severe pneumonia. The new virus is genetically related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) virus, which caused severe to lethal pneumonia in 2003 in China and Canada [1,2]. The disease caused by the virus was officially named by the WHO as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). On 11 February, 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) announced the name of the new virus as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The new virus has been classified as the seventh known human pathogenic coronavirus [3,4].
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