Chinese Virus

Chinese Virus www.infralive.com 42 Infra LIVE April 15, 2020 makeup of the SARS-CoV-2 virus tell us? All SARS-CoV-2 isolated from humans to date are closely related genetically to coronaviruses isolated from bat populations, specifically, bats from the genus Rhinolophus. SARS-CoV, the cause of the SARS outbreak in 2003, is also closely related to coronaviruses isolated from bats. These close genetic relations suggest that they all have their ecological origin in bat popula- tions. Bats in the Rhinolophus genus are found across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. SARS-CoV-2 is not genetically related to other known coronaviruses found in farmed or domestic animals. The analysis of the virus genome sequences also indicates that SARS-CoV-2 is very well adapted to human cell receptors, which enables it to invade human cells and easily infect people. All the published genetic s e qu e n c e s o f SARS - CoV - 2 isolated from human cases are very similar, suggesting that the start of the outbreak resulted from a single point introduction in the human population around the time that the virus was first reported in humans in Wuhan, China . The ana l yses of the published genetic sequences therapeutics and vaccines. To identify the source or origin of a virus, it is helpful to look at the genetic makeup of the virus and see whether it resembles other known viruses. This may provide some clues as to its origin. Viruses that are genetically closely linked tend to come from a similar source or similar geographic area. SARS-CoV-2, the virus respon- sible for Covid-19, belongs to a group of genetically related viruses that includes SARS-CoV and a number of other CoVs isolated from bat populations. MERS-CoV also belongs to this group but is less closely related. It is also necessary to investi- gate and interview in depth the first known human cases of the disease for indications as to where they may have become infected. This may help identify earlier possible cases and narrow the g e o g r a p h i c a l a r e a s a n d timeframes so that more specific investigations could be performed to identify the source. Currently, the zoonotic source of SARS-CoV-2 is unknown. The first human cases of Covid-19, the coronavirus disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, were first reported from Wuhan City, China, in December 2019. Wha t do e s t he g ene t i c Investigations on to prevent recurrence WHO has announced the official names for the virus r e s pon s i b l e f o r COV ID- 1 9 (previously known as “2019 novel coronavirus”) and the disease it causes. The official names are: for the 'Disease', it is “coronavirus disease (COVID-19)”; and for 'Virus' it is “severe acute respira- tory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).” Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a large family of viruses, several of which cause respiratory diseases in humans, from the common cold to more rare and serious diseases such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), both of which have high mortality rates and were detected for the first time in 2003 and 2012, respectively. CoVs are divided into four genera: alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-CoV. All CoVs currently known to cause disease in humans belong to the alpha- or the beta- CoV. Many of these CoVs can infect several animal species as well. SARS-CoV infected civet cats and infected humans in 2002 and MERS-CoV is found in dromedary camels and infected humans in 2012. A virus that is regularly transmitted from an animal to a human is called a zoonotic virus. When a virus passes from animals to humans for the first time it is called a spillover event. When a new virus is discov- ered, it is important to under- stand where it comes from. This is critical to be able to identify and isolate the source and prevent further introductions of the virus into the human population. It also helps to understand the dynamic of the beginning of the outbreak, which can be used to inform the public health response. Under- standing the origin of the virus may also aid the development of Box-A: SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19: Ecological reservoir in the bats but which animal is the intermediate host?