Previous SARS Research Articles

Could SARS-CoV-2 affect male fertility?

We performed this systematic review to evaluate the possibility of an impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on male fertility. SARS‐CoV‐2 enters the cells with the help of ACE2; therefore, testicular expression of ACE2 was analysed from transcriptome sequencing studies and our unpublished data. Literature suggested that SARS‐CoV‐1 (2002‐2004 SARS) had a significant adverse impact on testicular architecture, suggesting a high possibility of the impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 as well. Out of two studies on semen samples from COVID‐19 affected patients, one reported the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the semen samples while the other denied it, raising conflict about its presence in the semen samples and the possibility of sexual transmission. Our transcriptome sequencing studies on rat testicular germ cells showed ACE expression in rat testicular germ cells. We also found ACE2 expression in transcriptome sequencing data for human spermatozoa, corroborating its presence in the testicular germ cells. Transcriptome sequencing data from literature search revealed ACE2 expression in the germ, Sertoli and Leydig cells. The presence of ACE2 on almost all testicular cells and the report of a significant impact of previous SARS coronavirus on testes suggest that SARS‐CoV‐2 is highly likely to affect testicular tissue, semen parameters and male fertility.

Risk estimation of the SARS-CoV-2 acute respiratory disease outbreak outside China

BackgroundOn December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization was alerted to the occurrence of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, that were caused by an unknown virus, which was later identified as a coronavirus and named the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We aimed to estimate the reproductive number of SARS-CoV-2 in the Hubei Province and evaluate the risk of an acute respiratory coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak outside China by using a mathematical model and stochastic simulations.ResultsWe constructed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics, estimated the rate of transmission, and calculated the reproductive number in Hubei Province by using case-report data from January 11 to February 6, 2020. The possible number of secondary cases outside China was estimated by stochastic simulations in various scenarios of reductions in the duration to quarantine and rate of transmission. The rate of transmission was estimated as 0.8238 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8095–0.8382), and the basic reproductive number as 4.1192 (95% CI 4.0473–4.1912). Assuming the same rate of transmission as in Hubei Province, the possibility of no local transmission is 54.9% with a 24-h quarantine strategy, and the possibility of more than 20 local transmission cases is 7% outside of China.ConclusionThe reproductive number for SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics is significantly higher compared to that of the previous SARS epidemic in China. This implies that human-to-human transmission is a significant factor for contagion in Hubei Province. Results of the stochastic simulation emphasize the role of quarantine implementation, which is critical to prevent and control the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak outside China.

Kidney Diseases and COVID-19 Pandemic – A Review Article

In December 2019, first cases of a novel coronavirus were identified in Wuhan, China. A state of global pandemic was shortly declared among a very rapid contagious spread of the virus. The causative virus was identified as the SARS-CoV-2 viruses and is genetically related to the previous SARS outbreak in 2003. The virus causes a wide clinical spectrum from mild flu-like symptoms to adult respiratory distress syndrome. Kidney involvement has been reported in several reports in patients with various degrees of severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. As knowledge is evolving, the accurate incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is not known. Many questions are yet to be answered regarding the effect of epidemiological variables and comorbidities on the occurrence of AKI. Some reports have observed the occurrence of hematuria and proteinuria in a percentage of infected patients. Moreover, chronic kidney disease has not been found, in some reports to add to the adverse outcomes, an aspect that merits further exploration. Patients on regular hemodialysis may be vulnerable to coronavirus infection due to the lower status of immunity and the need for frequent attendance at health-care facilities. Due to the previous factors, prevention and mitigation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in this vulnerable population, constitutes a major challenge.

Implications of COVID-19 Outbreak on Immune Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis Patients-Lessons Learned From SARS and MERS.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic keeps the world in suspense. In addition to the fundamental challenges for the health care system, the individual departments must decide how to deal with patients at risk. Neurologists are confronted with the question, how they should advise their patients regarding immunosuppressive treatment. In particular, the large number of different disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in the treatment of neuroimmunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis poses a challenge. To a limited extent, it might be useful to transfer knowledge from previous SARS- and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus outbreaks in 2002/2003 and 2012 to the current situation. Overall, immunosuppressive therapy does neither seem to have a major impact on infection with SARS- and MERS-CoV nor does it seem to lead to a severe disease course in many cases. Considering the immunological responses against infections with novel coronaviruses in humans, interferons, glatiramer acetate, and teriflunomide appear to be safe. As lymphopenia seems to be associated with a more severe disease course, all DMTs causing lymphopenia, such as cladribine, alemtuzumab, and dimethyl fumarate, need to be reviewed more thoroughly. As they are, in general, associated with a higher risk of infection, depleting anti-CD20 antibodies may be problematic drugs. However, it has to be differentiated between the depletion phase and the phase of immune reconstitution. In summary, previous coronavirus outbreaks have not shown an increased risk for immunocompromised patients. Patients with severe neuroimmunological diseases should be kept from hasty discontinuation of immunotherapy.

Mechanisms of selected functional foods against viral infections with a view on COVID-19: Mini review

Following research obtained from the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks, we’ve gained knowledge about the mechanisms of bioactive plant ingredients against the attachment and replication of COVID-19 as well as overshooting immune responses. This could be used for designing COVID-19 trials utilizing bioactive compounds. The receptors for SARS, ACE-2, and CD26 show associations with mechanisms that regulate human senescence. Several functional foods interact with the epigenetic regulation of viral infection and mechanisms of senescence. This review concentrates on the link between bioactive plant ingredients and their activities against mechanisms of viral infections.Keywords: COVID-19, Epigenetic, Quercetin, Curcumin, Epigallocatechin gallate, Phloretin, Berberine

The cytokine storm in COVID-19: An overview of the involvement of the chemokine/chemokine-receptor system

In 2019–2020 a new coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the causative agent of a several acute respiratory infection named COVID-19, which is causing a worldwide pandemic. There are still many unresolved questions regarding the pathogenesis of this disease and especially the reasons underlying the extremely different clinical course, ranging from asymptomatic forms to severe manifestations, including the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). SARS-CoV-2 showed phylogenetic similarities to both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses, and some of the clinical features are shared between COVID-19 and previously identified beta-coronavirus infections. Available evidence indicate that the so called “cytokine storm” an uncontrolled over-production of soluble markers of inflammation which, in turn, sustain an aberrant systemic inflammatory response, is a major responsible for the occurrence of ARDS. Chemokines are low molecular weight proteins with powerful chemoattractant activity which play a role in the immune cell recruitment during inflammation. This review will be aimed at providing an overview of the current knowledge on the involvement of the chemokine/chemokine-receptor system in the cytokine storm related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Basic and clinical evidences obtained from previous SARS and MERS epidemics and available data from COVID-19 will be taken into account.

Marine Algal Antioxidants as Potential Vectors for Controlling Viral Diseases.

As the COVID-19 epidemic expands in the world, and with the previous SARS epidemic, avian flu, Ebola and AIDS serving as a warning, biomedical and biotechnological research has the task to find solutions to counteract viral entry and pathogenesis. A novel approach can come from marine chemodiversity, recognized as a relevant source for developing a future natural “antiviral pharmacy”. Activities of antioxidants against viruses can be exploited to cope with human viral infection, from single individual infections to protection of populations. There is a potentially rich and fruitful reservoir of such compounds thanks to the plethora of bioactive molecules and families present in marine microorganisms. The aim of this communication is to present the state-of-play of what is known on the antiviral activities recognized in (micro)algae, highlighting the different molecules from various algae and their mechanisms of actions, when known. Given the ability of various algal molecules—mainly sulfated polysaccharides—to inhibit viral infection at Stage I (adsorption and invasion of cells), we envisage a need to further investigate the antiviral ability of algae, and their mechanisms of action. Given the advantages of microalgal production compared to other organisms, the opportunity might become reality in a short period of time.

The COVID-19 pandemic preparedness ... or lack thereof: from China to Italy.

COVID-19, that emerged in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China and is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly evolved into a pandemic. Italy has become one of the largest epicentres outside Asia, accounting now for at least 80,539 infections (cumulative incidence of 95.9/100,000) and 8,165 deaths (case fatality rate 10.1%). It has seriously affected people above the age of 60 years. The International Health Regulations (IHR) revised in 2005 bind governments to disclose vital information regarding the identification and detection of new disease outbreaks regardless of its causative agent. In contrast to the previous SARS epidemic, China timely informed the world about the onset of a new outbreak. It also soon disclosed the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19. Unfortunately, despite the fast recognition of the Chinese epidemic, the application of the 2005 IHR was not followed by an effective response in every country and most health authorities failed to rapidly perceive the threat posed by COVID-19. To further complicate matters, IHR implementation, which relies primarily on self-reporting data rather than on an external review mechanism, was limited in speed and further hindered by high costs. The response in Italy suffered from several limitations within the health system and services. The action against this threat must instead be quick, firm and at the highest trans-national level. The solution lies in further strengthening countries' preparedness through a clear political commitment, mobilization of proper resources and implementation of a strict surveillance and monitoring process.

Strategies for vaccine development of COVID-19

An epidemic of acute respiratory syndrome in humans, which appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019, was caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This disease was named as "Coronavirus Disease 2019" (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 was first identified as an etiological pathogen of COVID-19, belonging to the species of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV). The speed of both the geographical transmission and the sudden increase in numbers of cases is much faster than SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). COVID-19 is the first global pandemic caused by a coronavirus, which outbreaks in 211 countries/territories/areas. The vaccine against COVID-19, regarded as an effective prophylactic strategy for control and prevention, is being developed in about 90 institutions worldwide. The experiences and lessons encountered in the previous SARS and MERS vaccine research can be used for reference in the development of COVID-19 vaccine. The present paper hopes to provide some insights for COVID-19 vaccines researchers.

Airborne route and bad use of ventilation systems as non-negligible factors in SARS-CoV-2 transmission

SummaryThe world is facing a pandemic of unseen proportions caused by a corona virus named SARS-CoV-2 with unprecedent worldwide measures being taken to tackle its contagion. Person-to-person transmission is accepted but WHO only considers aerosol transmission when procedures or support treatments that produce aerosol are performed. Transmission mechanisms are not fully understood and there is evidence for an airborne route to be considered, as the virus remains viable in aerosols for at least 3 h and that mask usage was the best intervention to prevent infection.Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC) are used as a primary infection disease control measure. However, if not correctly used, they may contribute to the transmission/spreading of airborne diseases as proposed in the past for SARS.The authors believe that airborne transmission is possible and that HVAC systems when not adequately used may contribute to the transmission of the virus, as suggested by descriptions from Japan, Germany, and the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. Previous SARS outbreaks reported at Amoy Gardens, Emergency Rooms and Hotels, also suggested an airborne transmission.Further studies are warranted to confirm our hypotheses but the assumption of such way of transmission would cause a major shift in measures recommended to prevent infection such as the disseminated use of masks and structural changes to hospital and other facilities with HVAC systems.

Role of Telehealth in the Management of COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Previous SARS, MERS, and Ebola Outbreaks.

Concerns about the prevention and management of COVID-19 are on the rise, as it is crucial in contagious epidemics that travel and transfer of the patients be minimal for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-ups. Telemedicine or telehealth can play an important role, especially with previous successful experiences in the management of acute infectious respiratory epidemics such as SARS and MERS. In order to better control the rapid spread of coronavirus and manage the COVID-19 crisis, both developed and developing countries can improve the efficiency of their health system by replacing a proportion of face-to-face clinical encounters with telehealth. Recent technological advancement facilitates this reform, but there is a need for national or state-wide rules and regulations to be adapted accordingly.

Could chloroquine be effective against COVID-19?

Open access article The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has made this article free to access in order to help healthcare professionals stay informed about an issue of national importance. To learn more about coronavirus, please visit: https://www.rpharms.com/resources/pharmacy-guides/wuhan-novel-coronavirus Coronaviruses (CVs) can cause disease in many mammals. Despite the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks (from 2002, and 2012, […]

Coronavirus infections in children: from SARS and MERS to COVID-19, a narrative review of epidemiological and clinical features.

Emerging and re-emerging viruses represent an important challenge for global public health. In the 1960s, coronaviruses (CoVs) were recognized as disease agents in humans. In only two decades, three strains of CoVs have crossed species barriers rapidly emerging as human pathogens resulting in life-threatening disease with a pandemic potential: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002, Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012 and the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of epidemiological, pathogenic and clinical features, along with diagnosis and treatment, of the ongoing epidemic of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pediatric population in comparison to the first two previous deadly coronavirus outbreaks, SARS and MERS. Literature analysis showed that SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections seem to affect children less commonly and less severely as compared with adults. Since children are usually asymptomatic, they are often not tested, leading to an underestimate of the true numbers infected. Most of the documented infections belong to family clusters, so the importance of children in transmitting the virus remains uncertain. Like in SARS and MERS infection, there is the possibility that children are not an important reservoir for novel CoVs and this may have important implications for school attendance. While waiting for an effective against SARS-CoV-2, further prevalence studies in paediatric age are needed, in order to clarify the role of children in different age groups in the spread of the infection. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: A literature review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most important global public health concern in recent times. Initial epidemiological tracing of cases showed animal to the human transmission but now the paradigm has shifted entirely towards human to human transmission via droplets, contacts and/or through fomites. As the world is still searching for a definite cure, the morbidity and mortality worldwide is rising with every passing day. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has formulated guidelines for social distancing, testing strategy, diagnosis and management in accordance with other global health organisation like WHO, CDC and they are being updated frequently. Like the previous Coronavirus outbreak viz SARS, MERS there is no definite antiviral therapy for the treatment of confirmed cases or any vaccine to protect the susceptible population. Hence, taking steps like social distancing, frequent handwashing and use of mask are the best way to prevent the spread of this novel virus. This review briefly covers the introduction, possible mode of transmission, testing strategy, diagnosis, treatment and management protocol being followed in India based on the latest literature available.

How Did Trade in GVC-Based Products Respond to Previous Health Shocks? Lessons for COVID-19

Using difference-in-difference analysis in a gravity model, we examine the response of GVC-trade to two previous health shocks, SARS and MERS. Our baseline estimates suggest a decline in GVC-trade, both gross and value-added, from SARS, emanating from supply and demand shocks, though a similar effect is not observed for MERS. There is some evidence for “reshoring” and “near-shoring” in the stylized facts on SARS while empirical analysis also suggests geographical diversification of value chains due to MERS and their non-resilience to SARS in particular. The findings are observed at both the intensive (value) and extensive (number of products) margins and for both intermediate and final goods. The SARS effects are driven by non-OECD countries that were also more integrated and downstream in GVCs, and by products that were less capital- and technology-intensive. We expect similar disruptions to GVC-trade from COVID-19.

Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic: The Overall Scenario and Its Effect on ECO

The world is suffering from a small species of diameter 65-125 nm and length of about 26-32kbs. A virus which was initially named as SARS-CoV-2 belongs to beta corona virus group. Later on it is named as novel corona virus (2019-nCov) or COVID-19. The world health organization declared it as a Pandemic on 11 March, 2020. This is biggest man made disaster, which could be stopped in the initial stage but now it has taken 21% lives of the total closed cases, this toll certainly advances to more than 30% worldwide. The death tolls of COVID-19 are very large as compared to combination of previous SARS and MARS, Ebola and all other viruses. At the current scenario China is recovering but it locked down the rest of the world. The virus which is originated from China now spreads in more than 200 countries and two international conveyances. In the current article the world’s perspective, origin, symptoms, medication, transmission and its effect on worlds ECO (-nomy, -logy, -tourism, -politics, -terrorism) is discussed.

Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): World’s Past Experience on Deadly Outbreaks

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a wide range of illness from the common cold to more severe diseases (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-MERS and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-SARS). Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans [1]. Since December 2019, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [2] stressed billions of peoples around the world. The outbreak was initially originated from Wuhan, Hubei province of China with the specific animal source remaining unknown [3] and spread throughout the world within a short period of time [4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) named it as 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on 29 December 2019 to refer it affects lower respiratory tract of pneumonia patients [5][6][7]. In recent Coronavirus outbreak history, during its global outbreak in 2002/2003, it have been reported by World Health Organization that catastrophic disease resulted in more than 8400 confirmed cases and 774 mortality [8]. Even though this pandemic has been controlled, there are concerns over the recurrences (http://www.who.int/csr/don/2004_04_23/en/). This new emerging outbreak (COVID-19) is taking superior dissemination and mortality rate over the previous SARS outbreaks. As soon as the outbreak, scientists started to research the source of the new coronavirus, and the research team led by Prof. Yong-Zhen Zhang published the first genome of COVID-19 on 10 January 2020 [9]. With a high level of human mobility among Chinese people (Chinese New Year), the virus spread quickly throughout China within one month and then distributed to other parts of the world.

Adverse outcomes in SAR-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and SARS virus related pregnancies with probable vertical transmission.

The global severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on all aspects of daily life and healthcare. Information on the infection risks for pregnant women and their offspring have so far been limited to small case series, until a large UK report on 427 SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women was published. Previous SARS epidemic experiences were drawn upon. Diagnostic use of real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and IgG and IgM antibody tests are fraught with concerns of non-validation and false negative results, as are sampling methodologies. Virtually no information on controls accompany these reports. Infection of the mother and baby has serious implications for obstetric and neonatal care. Information on early and late stage pregnancy infection and the relationship to severity of infection on fetal development is both useful and clearly warranted. An increasing number of reports centre around mildly infected women showing no evidence of fetal infection while a few reports suggesting vertical transmission require further validation. Vertical transmission from mother to baby however small would have profound health implications for obstetric and neonatal care and fetal abnormalities. Some data suggesting intrapartum vertical transmission from mother to baby cannot be dismissed given the lack of controls and limitations of diagnostic viral tests. This analysis covers some key early reports addressing pregnancy outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Application of feature extraction method based on support vector machine in Internet of things

Although much less fatal than the Ebola and previous SARS virus epidemics, the current coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) has spread to more people in more countries in a much shorter time frame. With the rapid development of the Internet of things, it has played an important role to track/monitor transmission movements throughout the population. The technology infrastructure between mobile devices, wearable devices and sensors, smart home device makes it possible to readily deploy solutions to monitor and collect data and perform analysis to ensure policy make intelligent, rapid decisions. This research combines AOL and Support Vector Machine to form the Internet of things cycle through smart home. The parameters of Support Vector Machine model are optimized by ALO algorithm, which shortens the learning time and improves the performance of classifier. Then, the algorithm of ALO is used to optimize the Support Vector Machine intrusion detection method and agent technology, and the intrusion detection model is established. Experimental results show that the combination of these two can effectively reduce the false alarm rate of network intrusion.

COVID-2019 Genome Sequence Analysis: Phylogenetic Molecular Evolution and Docking of Structural Modelling of Receptor Binding Domain of S Protein in Active Site of ACE2

Meanwhile the outbreak of the Covid-19 since December, 2019 in China, it has killed more than a hundred thousand of people of all ages and sex across the globe in a short span of time. On the bases of this study the nearest family member of the virus and its receptor binding domain of S protein including its model structure and function of its active sites were naked through Multiple Sequence Alignment, modelling and molecular docking software accordingly its repository genome databases. The virus was genetically associated and molecular evolutionary related with (RaTG13) and it scores 96.12% homology with 99% query coverage followed by bat-SL-CoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21 notch 89.12% and 88.65% respectively. However, SARS and MERS corona type virus those outbreak earlier respectively less likely family members of 2019-nCoV. Though the virus has a close genetic association with those previous SARS coronaviruses, and certainly the spike protein used as a binding receptor to fight against human receptor protein of ACE 2, but on the basis of FRODOC and HDOCK server analysis multi favorable active sites of S protein was discovered such GLN493 shown as a finest key in both model and possessed a unique traits on it resulting unexpected rate of transmission and number of people died while compared to the previous one. TYR500, ASN501, GLN498 and others residues preferably contemplate site also. In particular, the diversity of the virus in the world may be due to the genome structure of the virus and S gene changed over the time, across the world against to host of human genetic diversity, which may be more robust, and may be a new and unique feature. This is because it is characterized close to contact with distance divergence between wild type novel coronavirus which was risen from China against to the genomes from Lebanon, India, Italy, and USA and so on. Thus, the World Health Organization and its researchers should focus on immunologic research and effective drug and vaccine development that will help to address the epidemiology of the virus, which can provide a long-term solution.