Corona virus: what do we know?

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus causes a wide variety of diseases in various animal species. It is known to cause innocuous respiratory infections and occasional viral diarrhea in humans. Pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (a beta corona virus) is a third spill over in two decades of an animal corona virus to humans. It uses ACE2 receptors for cell entry. Active viral replication has been proved in the cells of human respiratory tract, conjunctiva and gastrointestinal tract contributing to multiple routes of transmission. Peak viral load is noted at the time of presentation which explains the transmission even in presymptomatic stage. RO is expected to be around 2 to 3, which explains the higher pandemic potential. The virus persists on inanimate objects for a variable period of time depending on the infectious dose, temperature and humidity.