The human coronaviruses (HCoVs) and the molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

In humans, coronaviruses can cause infections of the respiratory system, with damage of varying severity depending on the virus examined: ranging from mild-to-moderate upper respiratory tract diseases, such as the common cold, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death. Human coronaviruses known to date, common throughout the world, are seven. The most common—and least harmful—ones were discovered in the 1960s and cause a common cold. Others, more dangerous, identified in the early 2000s and cause more severe respiratory tract infections. Among these the SARS-CoV, isolated in 2003 and responsible for the severe acute respiratory syndrome (the so-called SARS), which appeared in China in November 2002, the coronavirus 2012 (2012-nCoV) cause of the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) from coronavirus, which exploded in June 2012 in Saudi Arabia, and actually SARS-CoV-2. On December 31, 2019, a new coronavirus strain was reported in Wuhan, China, identified as a new coronavirus beta strain ß-CoV from group 2B, with a genetic similarity of approximately 70% to SARS-CoV, the virus responsible of SARS. In the first half of February, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), in charge of the designation and naming of the viruses (i.e., species, genus, family, etc.), thus definitively named the new coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2. This article highlights the main knowledge we have about the biomolecular and pathophysiologic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Methylene Blue Alone or in Combination against SARS-CoV-2

“…In December 2019, a new coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan, China, before spreading all over the world [ 1 ]. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the Betacoronaviruses with similarities with viruses detected in bats [ 2 ]. SARS-CoV-2 caused a wide range of symptoms from asymptomatic to fatal respiratory tract infections [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”

“…SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the Betacoronaviruses with similarities with viruses detected in bats [ 2 ]. SARS-CoV-2 caused a wide range of symptoms from asymptomatic to fatal respiratory tract infections [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever with dry cough, dyspnea, headaches, myalgia, intense fatigue with gastrointestinal symptoms including vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and diarrhea [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”

Current knowledge about the connection between health status and gut microbiota from birth to elderly. A narrative review

“…The onset and progression of respiratory diseases such as these from the SARS-CoV-2 virus can significantly alter the lung microbiota by increasing potentially pathogenic species thus affecting the course and severity of disease (Fig. 7) [63][64][65][66][67][68][69].…”

The 15-Months Clinical Experience of SARS-CoV-2: A Literature Review of Therapies and Adjuvants

“…From the first phases of the COVID-19 pandemic spread, a great amount of information about diagnostic and therapeutic approaches has been reported in the literature, mainly based on preliminary experiences determined by retrospective clinical papers or case reports. Currently, no registered drugs have demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of COVID-19, while several vaccines are available [25][26][27][28][29][30]. Management is mainly based on supportive therapy and on treating the symptoms while trying to prevent respiratory failure.…”