What is Coronavirus, Symptoms, Transmission, and Treatment

Coronaviruses correspond to a group of viruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family that is responsible for respiratory infections that may be mild or severe enough, depending on the coronavirus responsible for the infection.

Most coronaviruses do not infect people or cause diseases, however, there are two types that were associated with severe respiratory diseases, or SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, responsible for the Severe Respiratory Syndrome and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome respectively. Recently, another type of coronavirus that is called 2019-nCoV and that is related to respiratory diseases in China was identified; This virus has also been identified in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

Coronaviruses can be transmitted from animals to people, which is what happens most frequently, but they can also be transmitted from person to person, as in the case of 2019-nCoV. 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 coronaviruses are known, which are:

• 2019-nCoV;
• 229E;
• NL63;
• OC43;
• HKU1;
• SARS-CoV;
• MERS-CoV.

Type 2019-nCoV (Coronavirus of China)

This type of coronavirus is the most recent and was first identified in China, however, there are already reported cases of infection with this type of coronavirus in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Canada. There is not much information about this type of coronavirus yet, however, it is known that it also causes a serious respiratory infection, which can cause respiratory failure and cause death, as also occurs in the SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses. Learn more about MERS and its symptoms.

In relation to the transmission of this type of virus, it was found that people who went to a Wuhan market in China, where wild animals were marketed, were infected by the virus, checking the transmission of animal for a person. However, other people, who were not present in the market but who were in contact with sick people, were also infected with this same virus, which confirms the hypothesis that the coronavirus of the 2019-nCoV type is also transmitted from person to person through the inhalation of respiratory drops and direct contact, without proper precautions with infected people.


Types 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1

Normally, these types are associated with common colds and are responsible for mild respiratory diseases, which are naturally fought by the immune system itself. These types of viruses are transmitted from person to person and cause the appearance of typical symptoms of the common cold or mild pneumonia, depending on the activity of the person's immune system.


SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Types

These types are associated with serious respiratory infections, in which it is normally necessary for the person to be hospitalized for monitoring and thus prevent complications. These viruses are transmitted from animals to people and, for this reason, end up triggering a more serious immune and inflammatory response, resulting in more complicated complications and symptoms.

Also, the severity of infection by these viruses may be related to the person's immune system, since it is more common to arise in people who have a compromised immune system, due to diseases such as HIV or 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 was easily transmitted to other countries in the Middle East.

The first described case of SARS-CoV infection was in 2002 in Asia and the virus was later associated with a severe respiratory infection, due to the fact that it could spread rapidly among the population through the small drops released into the air through the cough and sneeze of infected people. Learn more about SARS.

Symptoms of Coronavirus Infection

Coronavirus has an incubation time between 2 and 14 days, that is, it can take up to 2 weeks for the symptoms of the disease to appear. The symptoms of coronavirus infection are the same as those of a cold or flu, and there may be:

• Rhinitis;
• Cough;
• Headache;
• Discomfort;
• Sore throat;
• Fever.

In the case of more serious infections, systemic symptoms may also appear, such as muscle aches and gastrointestinal symptoms; in addition to alterations in laboratory tests, such as a decrease in the number of lymphocytes, platelets, and neutrophils.

The diagnosis of coronavirus infection is made through the evaluation of symptoms, being established by the WHO that the diagnosis is based on clinical and epidemiological parameters. In relation to the former, a person must have a fever and another flu symptom, and at least one of the epidemiological parameters that have traveled to the places where coronavirus cases have been identified, have had contact with a person with suspect or have had confirmation of infection with this virus.

The diagnosis should also be based on the results of the serological and molecular tests, which 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 occurs

Coronavirus transmission can occur through contact with infected animals, from person-to-person contact through the inhalation of small drops released into the air when coughing or sneezing (which contain the virus) or through the fecal route oral, since SARS-CoV can also be excreted in feces.


How should the treatment be

There is no specific treatment for coronavirus infection, being only supportive measures, such as hydration, rest, and mild and balanced feeding. Some studies in the laboratory were carried out with the objective of verifying the efficacy of antiviral drugs, such as Ribavirin, Interferon alfa, and Ritonavir, against the coronaviruses responsible for SARS and MERS, however, only the in vitro effect was proven, not having been verified in the population.

Likewise, there is no vaccine against this virus so far, however, its development is being studied as well as medications that can act against the coronavirus. For this reason, the best thing to do is to adopt some measures with the aim of preventing infection, such as avoiding contact with people who have symptoms of respiratory infection, contact with animals, frequently washing their hands, avoiding touching their eyes, nose, and mouth and cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, to avoid spreading the virus through the air.