Department of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Student, 3rd Year MBBS, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Student, 4th Year MBBS, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
Student, BS Microbiology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
Student, 3rd Year MBBS, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
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Shehreen Sohail, Hamza Rana, Umar Hassan, Freeha
Sohail, Mukarram Farooq, Minaam Farooq
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The coronavirus disease emerged at the end of 2019
from Wuhan, China, and ultimately resulted in
pandemic. It is a single positive-sense RNA virus
spreading from person to person through contact in
any form. Bats are the natural hosts of the SARS-
CoV-2 virus. SARS-CoV-2 has the largest genome as
compared to all RNA virus present so far. Spike
proteins are responsible for their entrance into the
human body. Social distancing and quarantine
resulted in the best possible prevention for the less
transmission of coronavirus. We performed a
narrative review to describe its origin, transmission,
pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, social
implications, future possibilities, treatment, and
vaccination.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Transmission, Disease
Outbreaks, Virus Replication, Genome, Quarantine
INTRODUCTION
Wuhan, a city in Hubei Province of China, often
referred to as the “Chicago of China” was the ground
zero for Novel Coronavirus, whose index patient
became symptomatic on December 1, 2019.(1) On
13th January 2020, 1st case was reported outside
China, in Thailand.[1]
Coronavirus is a member of the Coronaviridae family
which has 124 other viruses. It is an RNA positive,
enveloped with glycoprotein spikes emerging from it,
giving a king’s crown or halo shape, thus, named
corona. Previously, coronaviruses were mainly
involved in causing various respiratory and intestinal
diseases among domestic animals and birds. Out of
the Coronaviridae, 6 types were the culprit of human
diseases, both minor and major. 4 out of those six
causes of common cold, and the other 2 were
involved in causing severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS-CoV). In a recent publication, it is
stated that coronaviruses have the broadest and
longest genetic material with a length range of 26 to
136 32 KB.[2] Along with transcription for the major
structural protein, a large portion of the genome is
also transcribed and translated to
polypeptides important for gene
expression and viral multiplication.
Over the past years, multiple types
of research and experiments were
conducted to get a better
understanding of the molecular
root of viral replication, virulence,
and its adaptations to develop
medicines and vaccines for
therapeutic purposes and get a
better grip on its diagnostics and
evaluation procedures. Bats are
the natural hosts of the SARS-
CoV-2 virus. The infection began
to spread to other humans via
airborne respiratory droplets
mainly in hospitals and clinics near
the seafood market especially in
those people who stayed for a long
while at that place. It is a β-
coronavirus that is enveloped, non-
segmented positive ssRNA virus.
Coronavirus is categorized into 4
genera, α−/β−/γ−/δ-COV. Alpha
and beta infect mammals whereas
gamma and delta tend to affect
birds. Previously 6 COV’s have
been identified to infect humans.
Alpha-CoV HCoV-229E and HCOV
Rapid transmission of SARS-2 among
Individuals – A Mini Review
Review Article
Nov 2020 - Jan 2021 | Vol 1 No 4 | e300 | I
Pakistan Journal of Surgery & Medicine
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
© Author(s) (or their employer(s) 2021. Re-use
permitted under CC BY. No commercial re-use.
Published by Pak J Surg Med.
Submission: Oct 12, 2020
Acceptance: Mar 07, 2021
Publication: Mar 10, 2021
Shehreen Sohail,
Department of Life Sciences,
University of Central Punjab,
Avenue 1, Khayaban-e-Jinnah،
Road، Johar Town, Lahore,
Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
Author Email:
shehreen.baig19@gmail.com
ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-
5239-8717
Twitter: @shehreen_sohail
doi: 10.37978/pjsm.v1i4.300
-NL 63 and Beta COV HCoV-HKU1 and HCoV-OC43
have low pathogenicity and bring about slight respiratory
symptoms same as the common cold. The other two beta
CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV lead to severe and
potentially fatal respiratory tract infections. The bat COV
genome (RaTG13) is 96.2% identical to SARS-CoV-2 and
79.5% to SARS-CoV-2. The genome sequencing results
and analysis suspected that bat has been a natural host
origin for the virus.[3, 4] Angiotensin-converting enzyme
(ACE-2) is used by the SARS-CoV-2 because it has the
same receptor as SARS- CoV-2 to infect the human.[5]
ABSTRACT
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