Abstract
The 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused a global health emergency. The outbreak of this virus has raised a number of questions: What is SARS-CoV-2? How transmissible is SARS-CoV-2? How severely affected are patients infected with SARS-CoV-2? What are the risk factors for viral infection? What are the differences between this novel coronavirus and other coronaviruses? To answer these questions, we performed a comparative study of four pathogenic viruses that primarily attack the respiratory system and may cause death, namely, SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV), and influenza A viruses (H1N1 and H3N2 strains). This comparative study provides a critical evaluation of the origin, genomic features, transmission, and pathogenicity of these viruses. Because the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is ongoing, this evaluation may inform public health administrators and medical experts to aid in curbing the pandemic's progression.
Keywords:
COVID-19; MERS-CoV; SARS-CoV; SARS-CoV-2; influenza A virus.
Copyright © 2020 Abdelrahman, Li and Wang.
Publication types
-
Comparative Study
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Review
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Betacoronavirus / genetics*
-
Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
-
Birds / virology
-
COVID-19
-
Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
-
Coronavirus Infections / transmission
-
Coronavirus Infections / virology
-
Genome, Viral
-
Humans
-
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / genetics*
-
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / pathogenicity
-
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / genetics*
-
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / pathogenicity
-
Influenza in Birds / epidemiology
-
Influenza in Birds / transmission
-
Influenza in Birds / virology
-
Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
-
Influenza, Human / transmission
-
Influenza, Human / virology
-
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / genetics*
-
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / pathogenicity
-
Pandemics
-
Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
-
Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
-
Pneumonia, Viral / virology
-
SARS-CoV-2
-
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology*
-
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission
-
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / virology
-
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / genetics*
-
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / pathogenicity
-
Virulence / immunology