Coronaviruses

Abstract

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are so called due to their striking crown of surface projections, reminiscent of the solar corona, which can be seen by electron microscopy. CoVs have been found in a wide range of domestic and wild mammals and birds; however, the particular diversity of strains found in birds and bats suggests that these animals are the natural reservoirs of CoVs, although this may also be the result of sampling bias. The major transmission route of HCoV is likely to be respiratory, although many animal CoVs also have a fecal‐oral route of transmission and can replicate in epithelial cells in both the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. HCoVs can be detected by nucleic acid amplification testing in a range of routine upper and lower respiratory tract specimens, such as nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, NP aspirates, sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.