- Types of Coronavirus
- Type COVID-19 (coronavirus from China)
- Types 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1
- Types SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV
- Symptoms of Coronavirus infection
- How the transmission happens
- How treatment should be
Coronavirus is actually the name given to a group of viruses belonging to the same family, the Coronaviridae, which are responsible for respiratory infections that can be mild or quite severe depending on the coronavirus responsible for the infection.
Most coronaviruses do not infect people or cause disease, however there are two types that have been associated with severe respiratory diseases, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, responsible for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, respectively. Recently, another type of coronavirus has been identified which is being called COVID-19 and which is related to respiratory diseases in China, being also identified in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the United States. Learn more about the virus that is spreading in China.
Coronaviruses can be transmitted from animals to people, which is what happens most often, but they can also be transmitted from person to person, as in the case of COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to those of the flu, however in the case of viruses transmitted from animals to people, gastrointestinal symptoms may also appear.
Types of Coronavirus
7 types of coronavirus are known, which are:
- COVID-19 (Chinese coronavirus); 229E; NL63; OC43; HKU1; SARS-CoV; MERS-CoV.
Type COVID-19 (coronavirus from China)
This coronavirus virus is the most recent and was first identified in China, however there are already reported cases of infection in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the United States. There is still little information on this type of coronavirus, however it is known that, like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, it causes severe respiratory infection, which can lead to respiratory failure and result in death.
Regarding the form of transmission of this type of virus, it was found that people who attended a market in Wuhan, China, where wild animals were marketed, were infected by the virus, proving animal-person transmission. However, other people, who were not present in the market but who had contact with sick people, were also infected by the same virus, confirming the hypothesis that COVID-19 is also transmitted from person to person through inhalation of respiratory droplets and direct contact, without due precautions, with infected people.
Learn more about this virus in the following video:
Types 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1
These types are often associated with common colds and are responsible for mild respiratory diseases that are naturally fought by the immune system itself. These types of viruses are transmitted from person to person and lead to the appearance of typical symptoms of the common cold or mild pneumonia depending on the activity of the person's immune system.
Types SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV
These types are related to severe respiratory infections and it is usually necessary for the person to be hospitalized to be monitored and complications to be prevented. These viruses are transmitted from animals to people and, therefore, end up triggering a more severe immune and inflammatory response, resulting in more serious complications and symptoms.
In addition, the severity of infection by these viruses may be related to the person's immune system, as it is more common to appear in people who have compromised immune systems due to diseases, such as HIV, or due to cancer treatment, for example, mainly in the case of the MERS-CoV virus. The first case of MERS-CoV infection was in Saudi Arabia in 2012, however the virus managed to be easily transmitted to other countries in the Middle East. Learn more about MERS.
The first reported case of SARS-CoV infection was in 2002 in Asia and the virus was soon associated with severe respiratory infection due to the fact that it is able to spread rapidly among the population. Understand what SARS is.
Symptoms of Coronavirus infection
The coronavirus has an incubation time between 2 and 14 days, that is, the virus can take up to 2 weeks to lead to the appearance of symptoms of the disease.
In addition, the symptoms of coronavirus infection are the same as those of the flu or cold, and there may be:
- Runny nose; Cough; Headache; MalaiseSore throat; Fever; Difficulty breathing.
In the case of more serious infections, systemic symptoms may also appear, such as muscle pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting, as well as changes in the blood test, such as a decrease in the amount of lymphocytes, platelets and neutrophils.
The diagnosis of coronavirus infection is made through the assessment of symptoms, and it is defined by the WHO that the diagnosis is based on clinical and epidemiological parameters. Regarding the clinical parameters, it is defined that the person needs to have fever and another flu symptom, and at least one of the epidemiological parameters that are to have traveled to the places where coronavirus cases were identified, to have had contact with a suspected person or who has had confirmation of coronavirus infection.
The diagnosis must also be based on the result of serological and molecular tests that aim to identify the presence of antigens and antibodies against the virus, the type of virus and its quantity in the body.
How the transmission happens
The transmission of the coronavirus can happen through contact with infected animals or through person-to-person contact through the inhalation of droplets released in the air when coughing or sneezing that contains the virus or through the fecal-oral route, since SARS-CoV can also be excreted in the faeces.
How treatment should be
There is no specific treatment for coronavirus infection, only supportive measures, such as hydration, rest and a light and balanced diet. Some laboratory studies have been carried out with the aim of testing the effectiveness of antiviral drugs, such as Ribavirin, Interferon alfa, and Ritonavir against the coronaviruses responsible for SARS and MERS, however the effect has only been proven in vitro , with no effect on population.
In addition, there is no vaccine against this virus so far, although not only the development of the vaccine is being studied, but also drugs that can act against the coronavirus. So, the best thing to do is to take some measures to prevent infection, such as avoiding contact with people who have symptoms of respiratory infection, avoiding contact with sick animals, washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough to prevent the virus from spreading through the air.
