COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus 2019) - recent trends

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2020 Feb;24(4):2006-2011. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202002_20378.

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that, although the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from Wuhan City (China), is not pandemic, it should be contained to prevent the global spread. The COVID-19 virus was known earlier as 2019-nCoV. As of 12 February 2020, WHO reported 45,171 cases and 1115 deaths related to COVID-19. COVID-19 is similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) virus in its pathogenicity, clinical spectrum, and epidemiology. Comparison of the genome sequences of COVID-19, SARS-CoV, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) showed that COVID-19 has a better sequence identity with SARS-CoV compared to MERS CoV. However, the amino acid sequence of COVID-19 differs from other coronaviruses specifically in the regions of 1ab polyprotein and surface glycoprotein or S-protein. Although several animals have been speculated to be a reservoir for COVID-19, no animal reservoir has been already confirmed. COVID-19 causes COVID-19 disease that has similar symptoms as SARS-CoV. Studies suggest that the human receptor for COVID-19 may be angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor similar to that of SARS-CoV. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of COVID-19 has nearly 90% amino acid sequence identity with SARS-CoV. The N protein antibodies of SARS-CoV may cross react with COVID-19 but may not provide cross-immunity. In a similar fashion to SARS-CoV, the N protein of COVID-19 may play an important role in suppressing the RNA interference (RNAi) to overcome the host defense. This mini-review aims at investigating the most recent trend of COVID-19.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus* / chemistry
  • Betacoronavirus* / genetics
  • Betacoronavirus* / metabolism
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Genome, Viral
  • Humans
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / chemistry
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / epidemiology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Virus Activation
  • World Health Organization

Substances

  • Nucleocapsid Proteins