What You Should Know About Coronaviruses
With the global COVID-19 pandemic only just beginning, there's a lot of misinformation floating around about the virus.
What Makes a Coronavirus?
The name, "coronavirus," refers to a family of viruses. This family, the Coronaviridae, currently consists of about 40 species. Each viral particle is decorated with spikes or club-shaped projections that call to mind a solar corona. Thus, coronaviruses.
Coronaviruses also share several other features. They all:
Coronaviruses also share several other features. They all:
- ...cause diseases in mammals and birds.
- ...have genes comprised of RNA, not DNA.
- ...are the largest among known RNA viruses, with about 26,000 to 34,000 bases (RNA nucleotides).
- ...are enveloped - i.e., encased in an outer lipid coat, which makes them more susceptible to alcohol-based disinfectants.
- ...can be transmitted to humans from other animals.
Human coronaviruses are respiratory pathogens. Pneumonia is a typical outcome. The common cold is caused by a suite of viruses, among which is at least one coronavirus. Prior to the appearance of the latest coronavirus, the worst recent outbreak due to this virus family led to the SARS epidemic in 2002. The virus causing it was named SARSCoV (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus). Then came MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Its virus was named MERS-CoV.
Now we have SARS 2.0, caused by what the scientists have named SARS-CoV-2. That's the official designation for the virus behind the latest outbreak. The name is based on its 99.98% genetic similarity with the original SARS-CoV.
The disease itself is COVID-19 - i.e., the "coronavirus disease of 2019." All current discussion of the new "coronavirus" outbreak refers specifically to COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Now we have SARS 2.0, caused by what the scientists have named SARS-CoV-2. That's the official designation for the virus behind the latest outbreak. The name is based on its 99.98% genetic similarity with the original SARS-CoV.
The disease itself is COVID-19 - i.e., the "coronavirus disease of 2019." All current discussion of the new "coronavirus" outbreak refers specifically to COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Specifics of the Newest Coronavirus
The non-human coronavirus most similar to SARS-CoV/CoV-2 found in bats. This suggests where the SARS coronaviruses originated. First exposure probably came from bats for sale in a wildlife street market in Wuhan.
Early data may change as molecular biologists ramp up the speed of lab work on SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, they almost certainly will change as new information seems to be coming in almost daily.
Early data may change as molecular biologists ramp up the speed of lab work on SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, they almost certainly will change as new information seems to be coming in almost daily.