Coronaviruses

Abstract

A. GENERAL INTRODUCTION Coronaviruses form a group of pathogenic, enveloped positive stranded RNA viruses that infect many species of animals including man, mouse, chicken, turkey, cat, dog, pig and cow (1,2). The target organs and outcome of infection are dependent on the strain of virus, age and genetic composition of the animals as well as the dose and route of inoculation (1). Table 1 shows a list of coronaviruses and the diseases they cause. Much of coronavirus pathogenesis research has centered on the use of murine coronaviruses as models for human chronic neurological diseases,including demyelination. Most of this review will concern mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) as a model for human virus-induced chronic neurological disease. Although some strains of MHV are primarily hepatotropic (and hence the name), several MHV strains can cause chronic neurological disease in D.H. Gilden and H.L. Lipton (eds.), Clinical and Molecular Aspects oj Neurotropic Virus Injection.

Type I astrocytes and microglia induce a cytokine response in an encephalitic murine coronavirus infection

“…This study investigated immune mediated aspects of the pathogenesis of an experimental model of coronaviruses. The coronavirus genus of viruses belongs to the coronaviridae family of the nidovirales order that produce a variety of hepatic, enteric, and neurologic diseases in animals, and upper respiratory and enteric diseases in humans (Cavanagh, 1997;Lai and Cavanagh, 1997;Lavi et al, 1999;Lavi and Weiss, 1989). In 2003 a virulent coronavirus infection caused an epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), followed by middle eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) (Peiris et al, 2003).…”

Neuropathies and neurological dysfunction induced by coronaviruses

“…Coronaviruses target both neuronal and glial cells and affect patients of all ages (Liu et al 2006 ; Padhan et al 2008 ). Viruses may undergo lytic replication in the cells and spread to other cells, until viral gene expression may be limited for viral latent infection (Lavi and Weiss 1989 ). Viral products and host mediators can cause tissue damage and, depending on the cell type and the nervous system area, this damage can lead to meningitis, neuritis, myelitis, encephalitis, vasculitis, or demyelination (Wu et al 2020 ; Padhan et al 2008 ).…”

Neurological manifestations of coronavirus infections, before and after COVID-19: a review of animal studies

“…By supposing that the animal can survive the acute phase of neuro-infection, it may advance into the chronic phase marked with paralytic diseases. The animal may experience the chronic demyelination phase that might be monophasic or relapsing–remitting (with fractional or ample recovery) or a steady worsening of symptoms from the start of the disease (gradually progressive) to death (Lavi and Weiss 1989 ). Altogether, previous animal studies supported the hypothesis that immunopathogenic response initiated with CoVs infections could lead to demyelinating processes either in the brain or in the spinal cord (Almaghaslah et al 2020 ).…”