Pathway Analysis of Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Coronaviruses are emerging threats for human health, as demonstrated by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to SARS-CoV-1, which was the cause of the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak, but SARS-CoV-1 has been the subject of a relatively limited number of studies. Understanding the potential pathways and molecular targets of SARS-CoV-1 will contribute to current drug repurposing strategies by helping to predict potential drug-disease associations. METHODS: A microarray dataset, GSE1739, of 10 SARS patients and 4 healthy controls was downloaded from NCBI's GEO repository, and differential expression was identified using NCBI's GEO2R software. Pathway and enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes was carried out using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Our findings show that the drugs dexamethasone, filgrastim, interferon alfacon-1, and levodopa were among the most significant upstream regulators of differential gene expression in SARS patients, while neutrophil degranulation was the most significantly enriched pathway. CONCLUSION: An enhanced understanding of the pathways and molecular targets of SARS-CoV-1 in humans will contribute to current and future drug repurposing strategies, which are an essential tool to combat rapidly emerging health threats.

Bat-Borne Coronaviruses in Jordan and Saudi Arabia: A Threat to Public Health?

Emerging infectious diseases are of great concern to public health, as highlighted by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Such diseases are of particular danger during mass gathering and mass influx events, as large crowds of people in close proximity to each other creates optimal opportunities for disease transmission. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are two countries that have witnessed mass gatherings due to the arrival of Syrian refugees and the annual Hajj season. The mass migration of people not only brings exotic diseases to these regions but also brings new diseases back to their own countries, e.g., the outbreak of MERS in South Korea. Many emerging pathogens originate in bats, and more than 30 bat species have been identified in these two countries. Some of those bat species are known to carry viruses that cause deadly diseases in other parts of the world, such as the rabies virus and coronaviruses. However, little is known about bats and the pathogens they carry in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Here, the importance of enhanced surveillance of bat-borne infections in Jordan and Saudi Arabia is emphasized, promoting the awareness of bat-borne diseases among the general public and building up infrastructure and capability to fill the gaps in public health preparedness to prevent future pandemics.