Coronavirus
· Coronavirus is a large family of
single-stranded RNA viruses that cause diseases in animals and humans(Diseases which spread from animals to humans
are known as ZOONOTICS).
· In
humans, these viruses cause respiratory tract illnesses.
· Now more aggressive Coronaviruses have emerged which are capable or of causing serious
illness.
· In the last two decades, deadlier form of coronaviruses
have emerged like SARS – CoV,MERS, and now
SARS – CoV-2.
· Human Coronavirus
are first characterised in mid- 1960s. In 1965, scientists DJ Tyrrellnd ML Boynoewere the first ones to
identify a human coronavirus.
· In
1968 the term ‘coronavirus’ was accepted. These viruses are named so because of
spikes found on their surface that give them the appearance of a crown when
looked through an electron microscope.
· The
first Coronavirus was isolated in 1937 and it was the virus that caused
respiratory diseases in chickens.
· Coronaviruses
are the largest group of viruses that belong to the Nidovirales order, which
includes Coronaviridae among three others. Coronavirinaeare one of the two subfamilies
of Coronaviridae, with the other being Torovirinae.Coronavirus can be further subdivided into alpha, beta,
Gama and Delta Coronaviruses.
· According to a paper published in Journal
of Virology, coronavirus from all four categories can be found in
mammals, but bat Coronaviruses are the likely gene source of alpha and beta Coronaviruses,
while avian Coronaviruses are the probable genes sources of gamma and Delta Coronaviruses.
· While there are hundreds of Corona viruses,
there are seven that can infect humans(known hitherto).
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