SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-COV: A comparative overview
Infez Med
; 28(2): 174-184, 2020.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-99075
ABSTRACT
The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 that started in Wuhan, China, has now spread to several other countries and is in its exponential phase of spread. Although less pathogenic than SARS-CoV, it has taken several lives and taken down the economies of many countries. Before this outbreak, the most recent coronavirus outbreaks were the SARS-CoV and the MERS-CoV outbreaks that happened in China and Saudi Arabia, respectively. Since the SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the same family as of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, they share several similarities. So, this review aims at understanding the new scenario of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and compares the epidemiology, clinical presentations, and the genetics of these coronaviruses. Studies reveal that SARS-CoV-2 is very similar in structure and pathogenicity with SARS-CoV, but the most important structural protein, i.e., the spike protein (S), is slightly different in these viruses. The presence of a furin-like cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 facilitates the S protein priming and might increase the efficiency of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 as compared to other beta coronaviruses. So, furin inhibitors can be targeted as potential drug therapies for SARS-CoV.
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Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
/
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
/
Pandemics
/
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
/
Betacoronavirus
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Infez Med
Journal subject:
Allergy and Immunology
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Saudi Arabia
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