Q. What is coronavirus? A. Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Q. Morphology of Coronavirus A.
- Coronavirus has a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome.
- It has 4 main structural proteins: Spike (S), Envelope (E), Membrane (M), and Nucleocapsid (N).
- The spike protein is responsible for viral attachment and entry into the host cell.
- The virus has a lipid envelope studded with glycoproteins.
Q. Types of Coronavirus infecting humans A. → There are 6 main types of coronaviruses that can infect humans:
- HCoV-229E
- HCoV-OC43
- HCoV-HKU1
- HCoV-NL63
- SARS-CoV
- MERS-CoV → Most of these coronaviruses cause mild to moderate respiratory illness.
Q. Clinical Features of Coronavirus Disease A. → Common symptoms of coronavirus disease:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting → In severe cases, symptoms can include:
- Pneumonia
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Respiratory failure
- Cardiac problems
- Kidney failure
- Multisystem organ failure
Q. Laboratory Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease A. → Laboratory tests for coronavirus disease:
- Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
- Serological tests (IgM and IgG)
- Viral culture
- Chest X-ray
- CT scan → Laboratory diagnosis is crucial for confirming the presence of the virus and guiding treatment.
Q. Life Cycle of Coronavirus A.
- Attachment → Spike protein binds to ACE2 receptor on host cell.
- Penetration → Virus enters the host cell through endocytosis.
- Replication → Viral RNA is transcribed into mRNA and translated into proteins.
- Assembly → New viral particles are assembled and released from the host cell.
- Release → Viral particles are released from the host cell.
Q. Memory Trick for Life Cycle: "ASPER" - A - Attachment S - Spike protein P - Penetration E - Endocytosis R - Replication "SPARE" - S - Spike protein P - Penetration A - Assembly R - Release E - End
Q. Pathogenesis of Coronavirus A.
- Infection → Coronavirus infects the host cell.
- Replication → Viral RNA is transcribed into mRNA and translated into proteins.
- Inflammation → Host cell releases pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- Immune response → Host immune system responds to the infection.
- Tissue damage → Host tissues are damaged due to inflammation and immune response.
Q. Memory Trick for Pathogenesis: "IRIS" - I - Infection R - Replication I - Inflammation S - Immune response