Coronavirus biology makes it unique and dangerous

            Although similar to previous virus outbreaks, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Coronavirus is a unique and dangerous virus posing unprecedented challenges to the country’s medical community and health organization.

            This is because the virus is a new mutation. The unmutated virus has been seen for many years, Lt. Col. James Showman said. Showman is a retired US Army registered nurse and hospital administrator.

            “This virus has only recently jumped from its animal host into humans, and thus, humans have no pre-existing immunity against it,” Kent State University biology teacher Helen Piontkivska said. “Because it is a respiratory virus which can spread through air, AND because many people (estimates vary from 50 to 80 percent) are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms yet can widely spread the virus, it got – and continues to spread, – into numerous places before being detected.”

            The current virus is similar to an outbreak of SARS that occurred between 2003 and 2004 according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Coronavirus Research Center website. The SARS outbreak also began in China and spread to other countries. Both viruses are types of coronaviruses. The current virus seems to spread more quickly, though.

            One reason this virus is more dangerous than the flu is so little is known about it, said Joan Hall, a worker at the Summit County Public Health Department.

            Bacteria and viruses have a few similarities. They are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They also spread in similar ways and can cause the same symptoms according to the health direct website.  These include pneumonia, meningitis and diarrhea.

            However, there are more differences than similarities. Viral infections are different  because they are caused by different factors. Viral infections are caused by viruses and bacterial infections are caused by bacteria.

            “The important distinction between the two is that bacteria are single cell microorganisms that have their own chromosomes, ribosomes and other cellular apparatus parts,” Piontkivska said. “On the other hand, viruses essentially hijack the human’s (or other host’s) cells and make them do things for the virus. Because of these differences, we can target bacterial cells (which have their own versions of essential enzymes) with antibiotics, while those won’t work for viruses.”

            Some diseases caused by bacteria are strep throat, tuberculosis and urinary tract infections according to the Mayo Clinic website. Viruses can cause chickenpox, AIDS and common colds.

            Which type of illness is harder to treat varies.

            “Some viruses are mild and may be asymptomatic, while some are very dangerous,” Piontkivska said. “Same applies to bacteria. Some are widespread and generally not harmful, while others are harmful, or may become harmful to some people.”

            Coronavirus is a fragile virus. Some viruses have their nucleic acid covered with capsid protein. This protein can make the virus resistant to soap and alcohol, Piontkivska said. Fragile viruses, however, are covered with a lipid envelope that makes it easy to break them down with soap and alcohol.

            This means that frequent hand washing can easily kill the virus.

            Using hand sanitizer is important for this reason, Hall said. She also recommended viewing any surface as something that could have the virus on it.

            Covering one’s cough is also important, Hall said, as the virus can be spread through droplets.

            Besides this, not gathering in large groups and staying at home can prevent the spread of the virus, Brennan said.

            Symptoms of the virus include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sore throat and loss of taste and smell according to the Johns Hopkins website. However, in rare cases, symptoms can include respiratory problems, kidney failure and death. Age and underling health issues put people more at risk.

            Symptoms typically show up within two weeks of contracting the disease, according to the Johns Hopkins website.

            Diagnosing this virus can be difficult as it may seem similar to the flu or a bad cold according to the Johns Hopkins website. The only way to tell if someone has the virus for sure is through a laboratory test. However, these are not readily available in many places.

            The virus can be carried by certain types of animals, even though most of these animals are not affected by the virus. Still, some animals, like tigers, can be affected by the virus. A tiger at the Bronx Zoo is sick with the virus.

            The virus is expected to peak in April or May, said Kevin Brennan at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Still, this is not sure as the virus is hard to predict and because containment practices like social distancing change the projection model day to day.

            There is still no vaccine for this virus. Vaccines typically take two to five years to create according to Science Alert website. However, the fact that developing a vaccine is a worldwide effort means that the vaccine could be developed sooner. Still, how long it will take is unknown, like many aspects of this virus.

            Much remains to be learned about the Coronavirus. The best thing to do for now is stay socially distanced according to experts.

Tweet: Coronavirus is a mysterious mutation.