A mini-review on the impact of COVID 19 on vital organs

Abstract

COVID - 19 (Corona Virus Disease-2019) is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus, known as the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This is a highly contagious disease that has already affected more than 220 countries globally, infecting more than 212 million people and resulting in the death of over 4.4 million people. This review aims to highlight the pertinent documentary evidence upon the adverse effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection on several vital human organs. SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the lung tissue by causing diffuse alveolar damage and may result in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). SARS-CoV-2 infects the cell via cell surface receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Besides lungs, SARS-CoV-2 critically damage tissues in other vital human organs such as the heart, kidney, liver, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. The effect on the heart includes muscle dysfunction (acute or protracted heart failure), myocarditis, and cell necrosis. Within hepatic tissue, it alters serum aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels. It contributes to acute kidney injury (AKI). Localized infection of the brain can lead to loss or attenuation of olfaction, muscular pain, headaches, encephalopathy, dizziness, dysgeusia, psychomotor disorders, and stroke; while the gastrointestinal symptoms include the disruption of the normal intestinal mucosa, leading to diarrhea and abdominal pain. This review encompassed a topical streak of systemic malfunctions caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. As the pandemic is still in progress, more studies will enrich our understanding and analysis of this disease.

Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 synonymous codon usage evolution throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans; HKU1, NL63, OC43 and 229E viruses cause seasonal respiratory tract infections with usually mild clinical symptoms (common cold), while S evere A cute R espiratory S yndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), M iddle E ast R espiratory S yndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 can cause severe life-threatening respiratory pathologies and lung injuries ( Andersen et al, 2020 ; Tortorici and Veesler, 2019 ; V'kovski et al, 2021 ). Further, SARS-CoV-2 can present several extrapulmonary manifestations that may affect the urinary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, hematopoietic, neurological, or reproductive systems ( Chowdhury et al, 2021 ; Gavriatopoulou et al, 2020 ; Ramos-Casals et al, 2021 ; Shah et al, 2021 ; Tabary et al, 2020 ; K. I. Zheng et al, 2021 ).…”

Ethyl pyruvate, a versatile protector in inflammation and autoimmunity

“…Our ongoing research on a murine model of ARDS is giving promising results which indicate that EP could be a useful therapeutic in ARDS. This has a special significance, having in mind the current reality of SARS-Cov2 pandemic, and ARDS as one of the life-threatening consequences of the infection [ 126 ]. Thus, intensifying this specific line of investigation, as well as widening the focus of EP research over the spectra of inflammation-related diseases are viable research options.…”

A possible way to relate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 induced changes in transferrin to severe COVID-19 associated diseases

“…8. It is also known that Covid infection can directly influence the oxygen uptake by destroying the lung tissue and inducing long term fibrosis in the lung parenchyma as well (35, 36).…”