Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus as an Agent of Emerging and Reemerging Infection

Abstract

SUMMARY Before the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2003, only 12 other animal or human coronaviruses were known. The discovery of this virus was soon followed by the discovery of the civet and bat SARS-CoV and the human coronaviruses NL63 and HKU1. Surveillance of coronaviruses in many animal species has increased the number on the list of coronaviruses to at least 36. The explosive nature of the first SARS epidemic, the high mortality, its transient reemergence a year later, and economic disruptions led to a rush on research of the epidemiological, clinical, pathological, immunological, virological, and other basic scientific aspects of the virus and the disease. This research resulted in over 4,000 publications, only some of the most representative works of which could be reviewed in this article. The marked increase in the understanding of the virus and the disease within such a short time has allowed the development of diagnostic tests, animal models, antivirals, vaccines, and epidemiological and infection control measures, which could prove to be useful in randomized control trials if SARS should return. The findings that horseshoe bats are the natural reservoir for SARS-CoV-like virus and that civets are the amplification host highlight the importance of wildlife and biosecurity in farms and wet markets, which can serve as the source and amplification centers for emerging infections.

Differential susceptibility of different cell lines to swine-origin influenza A H1N1, seasonal human influenza A H1N1, and avian influenza A H5N1 viruses

“…The interplay between apoptotic or cytolytic responses triggered by the virus, cytokine induction and the compensatory regenerative power of cell line or functional reserve of that tissue or organ determines the varying manifestations of viral infections in different settings. 23 Among animal cells, MDCK best supported growth of all viruses, with positive CPE and viral antigen expression. In the pig cell line PK-15, S-OIV showed inefficient replication with no CPE and viral antigen expression.…”

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus M Protein Inhibits Type I Interferon Production by Impeding the Formation of TRAF3·TANK·TBK1/IKKϵ Complex

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 2 coronavirus causes a highly lethal infectious disease in humans characterized by an aberrant immune response (1). The production and action of type I interferons, which are major components of antiviral innate immunity (2,3), are inhibited at multiple levels by SARS coronavirus (4,5).…”

La virología, más necesaria que nunca

“…En cuanto al CoV-SARS, hoy se sabe que su reservorio asintomático son los murciélagos del área de Guangdong (China), pero que pueden contagiar civetas, mamíferos similares al mapache que se venden vivos en los mercados para su consumo (14). Por esta razón, los primeros casos ocurrieron entre individuos de la plaza de mercado de esta ciudad que manipularon la carne de las civetas y transmitieron el virus a otras personas, provocando más de 8.000 casos en 28 países, de los cuales 815 fueron fatales.…”