Advances and challenges in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

Int J Med Sci. 2020 Jul 9;17(12):1803-1810. doi: 10.7150/ijms.47836. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Since the end of 2019, a new type of coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading rapidly throughout the world. Previously, there were two outbreaks of severe coronavirus caused by different coronaviruses worldwide, namely Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This article introduced the origin, virological characteristics and epidemiological overview of SARS-CoV-2, reviewed the currently known drugs that may prevent and treat coronavirus, explained the characteristics of the new coronavirus and provided novel information for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; clinical treatment; drugs.; virological characteristics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amides / pharmacology
  • Amides / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus* / isolation & purification
  • Betacoronavirus* / physiology
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Chloroquine / analogs & derivatives
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use
  • Chlorpromazine / therapeutic use
  • Coronavirus / genetics
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / genetics
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Cyclophilins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Drug Development
  • Drug Repositioning
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use
  • Endocytosis / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera
  • Interferon Inducers / therapeutic use
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / genetics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Pyrazines / pharmacology
  • Pyrazines / therapeutic use
  • Resveratrol / pharmacology
  • Resveratrol / therapeutic use
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Viral Vaccines / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Amides
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Immune Sera
  • Interferon Inducers
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Pyrazines
  • Viral Vaccines
  • chloroquine diphosphate
  • Chloroquine
  • Cyclophilins
  • favipiravir
  • Resveratrol
  • Chlorpromazine