COVID-19: Epidemiology and pathophysiology: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:31, 11 April 2020

Coronaviruses are common human pathogens
- Cause the common cold
- In epidemics, cause up to one-third of community-acquired upper respiratory tract infections in adults; and may cause diarrhea in infants and children
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus (a new strain not previously identified in humans)
- Likely primary source = bats
- It is a betacoronavirus in the same subgenus as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus is another, more distantly related, betacoronavirus. Like the SARS coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [ACE2] for cell entry
Surface survival time of SARS-CoV-2:
- stainless steel: persists for 3 hours (or longer)
- underscores the importance of environmental cleaning / disinfection
  - cleaning gets rid of the proteins that would interfere with a disinfectants effectiveness
- Note: studied in a simulated lab environment. Lab virions not covered in protein and mucus and other things that would mimic real life and that could prolong survival

ARDS - Possibly due to direct alveolar damage by the virus AND inflammatory reaction. ^[1]
Cytokine Storm

Older age
Underlying conditions (lung disease, Renal Failure, Malignancy, heart disease, diabetes)

NOT Risk Factors

↑ Xu Z, Shi L, Wang Y et al. Pathological findings of COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2020;8(4):420-422. doi:10.1016/s2213-2600(20)30076-x

Authors:

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 == Virology ==
+*[[Coronaviruses]] are common human pathogens
+**Cause the common cold
+**In epidemics, cause up to one-third of community-acquired upper respiratory tract infections in adults; and may cause diarrhea in infants and children
+*[[SARS-CoV-2]] is a novel coronavirus (a new strain not previously identified in humans)
+**Likely primary source = bats
+**It is a betacoronavirus in the same subgenus as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus is another, more distantly related, betacoronavirus. Like the SARS coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [ACE2] for cell entry
+*Surface survival time of [[SARS-CoV-2]]:
+**stainless steel: persists for 3 hours (or longer)
+**underscores the importance of environmental cleaning / disinfection
+***cleaning gets rid of the proteins that would interfere with a disinfectants effectiveness
+**Note: studied in a simulated lab environment. Lab virions not covered in protein and mucus and other things that would mimic real life and that could prolong survival
 == Origins ==