SARS-CoV-2: respiratory and gastrointestinal pathobiology of the corona virus illness, Covid-19

Abstract

This paper summarizes the pathobiology of the recently discovered SARS-CoV-2 virus found to be the infectious agent of the Covid-19 illness. Coronaviruses represent a family of genetically related RNA dependent RNA polymerase viruses of likely zoonotic origin that are known to cause both respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in man and animals. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been identified as the causative agent in the development of the infectious and highly contagious Covid-19 illness, from its initial discovery in a previously naïve population in December 2019 in Wuhan Province, China. Recent epidemiologic observations indicate that the infective and highly contagious nature of the virus led to the declaration of a world-wide dissemination of the virus and resulting in the classification as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) within 4 months of its original discovery. By January 2020, the virus had begun to spread to other countries, with the first documented cases in the USA in 22January 2020 and in several European nations soon thereafter. While the virus currently has no known cure, recently developed vaccines appear preventative. In addition, several therapeutic agents in concert with supportive measures have demonstrated significant promise in the development of clinical management strategies for Covid-19 illness. If proven successful, some of these therapeutic measures 26 may dramatically reduce the morbidity and mortality rates observed in the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Efficacy of Biophotonics as a Therapeutic Adjunct in Resolving Microbial and Viral Infectious Illnesses

“…In the current decade, the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak was first reported to the WHO from Wuhan, China in late 2019 and soon spread through much of the globe due to the ease of International travel, causing panic and apprehension among all in its fateful path. [5][6][7]9,11 The onset of the pandemic left few effective options for easy containment due to it efficient microdroplet airborne mode of transmission, as no clear treatment or containment protocols had been established in part due to the broad diversity in symptomology. 9 In addition, prior to 2020, little was known about the new strain of virus other than it was more highly contagious and caused a more serious respiratory illness than the related strains of coronavirus that had caused MERS and SARS years earlier.…”

“…[5][6][7]9,11 The onset of the pandemic left few effective options for easy containment due to it efficient microdroplet airborne mode of transmission, as no clear treatment or containment protocols had been established in part due to the broad diversity in symptomology. 9 In addition, prior to 2020, little was known about the new strain of virus other than it was more highly contagious and caused a more serious respiratory illness than the related strains of coronavirus that had caused MERS and SARS years earlier. [9][10][11]27 The WHO declared it to be a pandemic in early 2020, and as of late February, 2023, the number of COVID-19 cases reported worldwide had reached almost 680 million.…”

“…9 In addition, prior to 2020, little was known about the new strain of virus other than it was more highly contagious and caused a more serious respiratory illness than the related strains of coronavirus that had caused MERS and SARS years earlier. [9][10][11]27 The WHO declared it to be a pandemic in early 2020, and as of late February, 2023, the number of COVID-19 cases reported worldwide had reached almost 680 million. In addition, the number of known deaths from COVID-19 was over 6 million.…”

“…Scientific research of RNA coronaviruses impacting the current pandemic has been developing for over two decades and of extreme necessity became further intensified with the onset of COVID-19 by early 2020. [8][9][10] These research studies culminated in numerous clinical trials of multiple newly developed COVID-19 vaccines in 2020, some using the recently developed mRNA and other molecular models, and with recommendations for booster shots that encompassed recently evolved epitopes discovered in some of the more prevalent mutant substrains as the pandemic progressed. Episodes of COVID-19 illness later were reported to occur commonly in individuals who had been vaccinated with the newly developed vaccines in addition to many who had contracted the virus and previously experienced live infections early in the pandemic.…”

“…Episodes of COVID-19 illness later were reported to occur commonly in individuals who had been vaccinated with the newly developed vaccines in addition to many who had contracted the virus and previously experienced live infections early in the pandemic. [5][6][7][8][9] Reinfections often occur in part due to an apparent transient nature of the immediate immune responses following vaccination or infection in addition to the immunogenic spike protein mutations that appear to bypass earlier immune protections. 8 Those individuals at greatest risk include persons 65 or older and with individuals who may also present with comorbidities including overweight, obesity, hypertension, and adult onset diabetes in addition to numerous other metabolic and respiratory disorders.…”