‫كلية البصرة الجامعة للعلوم والتكنلوجيا‬

‫قسم التخدير‬
‫المجموعة‪A1‬‬
‫الدراسة مسائي‬
‫المرحلة األولى‬

‫)‪Research on coronavirus disease (COVID-19‬‬

‫أعداد‬
‫النعمان منذر عبد الصمد‬
coronavirus
coronavirus, any virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae. Coronaviruses
have enveloped virions (virus particles) that measure approximately 120 nm (1 nm =
10−9 metre) in diameter. Club-shaped glycoprotein spikes in the envelope give the
viruses a crownlike, or coronal, appearance. The nucleocapsid, made up of
a protein shell known as a capsid and containing the viral nucleic acids, is helical or
tubular. The coronavirus genome consists of a single strand of positive-
sense RNA (ribonucleic acid).
What diseases are caused by coronaviruses?

Coronaviridae is generally considered to contain two

genera, Coronavirus and Torovirus, which differ in nucleocapsid morphology, the
former being helical and the latter being tubular. Coronaviruses are important agents of
gastrointestinal disease in humans, poultry, and bovines. In humans, a species known
as SARS coronavirus (or Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) causes a
highly contagious respiratory disease that is characterized by symptoms of fever, cough,
and muscle ache, often with progressive difficulty in breathing. The virus emerged in
humans in 2002; it likely jumped to humans from an animal reservoir, believed to be
horseshoe bats. The ability of SARS coronavirus to jump to humans undoubtedly
required genetic changes in the virus. These changes are suspected to have occurred in
the palm civet, since the SARS virus present in horseshoe bats is unable to infect
humans directly

In 2012 another coronavirus capable of causing a severe acute respiratory illness later
known as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) was discovered in humans. The
first case was found in Saudi Arabia, and others were reported within the following year
in France, Germany, Jordan, Qatar, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United
Kingdom. All confirmed cases were directly or indirectly linked to the Middle East. Of all
confirmed cases documented by 2019, roughly one-third had ended in death. The
novel MERS coronavirus was similar to other coronaviruses known to have originated
in bats and was thought to be passed from bats to other animals before being
transmitted to humans. Camels were identified as one possible reservoir for the MERS
virus.

In late 2019 a virus closely related to SARS coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China.
The virus, later named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),
caused an illness known as COVID-19, which was similar to SARS and was characterized
primarily by fever and respiratory symptoms. The virus was likewise highly contagious,
spreading throughout regions of China, the United States, and Europe by early 2020,
having been carried by travelers from affected regions. In March 2020 the World Health
Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic, and travel to, from, and within many
countries was severely restricted in an effort to control its spread. In many areas,
schools and numerous businesses closed, and stay-at-home guidelines
were implemented, which strongly encouraged people not to leave their place of
residence. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were made available by the end of 2020,
eventually allowing many businesses and schools to reopen.
What Is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a
respiratory tract infection. In early 2020, the World Health Organization
identified SARS-CoV-2 as a new type of coronavirus. The outbreak quickly spread
around the world. It can affect your upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose, and
throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs).
It spreads the same way other coronaviruses do, mainly through person-to-
person contact. Infections range from mild to deadly.
SARS-CoV-2 is one of seven types of coronavirus, including the ones that cause
severe diseases like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and sudden acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS). The other coronaviruses cause most of the colds
that affect us during the year but aren't a serious threat to otherwise healthy
people.
Is there more than one strain of SARS-CoV-2?
Yes, the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate and there are several variants that
are now spreading. Some are more contagious as well as more deadly than the
original virus.
Throughout the pandemic, scientists have kept a close eye on variants like:
 Alpha
 Beta
 Gamma
 Delta
 Epsilon
 Eta
 Iota
 Kappa
 Omicron
  N/A
 Mu
 Zeta
Symptoms of COVID-19
The main symptoms include:
Fever
Coughing
Shortness of breath
Trouble breathing
Fatigue
Chills, sometimes with shaking
Body aches
Headache
Sore throat
Congestion/runny nose
Loss of smell or taste
Nausea
Diarrhea

The virus can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, heart problems, liver
problems, septic shock, and death. Many COVID-19 complications may be caused
by a condition known as cytokine release syndrome or a cytokine storm. This is
when an infection triggers your immune system to flood your bloodstream with
inflammatory proteins called cytokines. They can kill tissue and damage your
organs. In some cases, lung transplants have been needed.
If you notice the following severe symptoms in yourself or a loved one, get
medical help right away:
 Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
 Ongoing chest pain or pressure
 Confusion
 Can't wake up fully
 Bluish lips or face
Strokes have also been reported in some people who have COVID-19.
According to researchers in China, these were the most common symptoms
among people who had COVID-19:
 Fever 99%
 Fatigue 70%
 Cough 59%
 Lack of appetite 40%
 Body aches 35%
 Shortness of breath 31%
 Mucus/phlegm 27%
Some people who are hospitalized for COVID-19 also have dangerous blood clots,
including in their legs, lungs, and arteries.

How do I know if it's COVID-19, a cold, or the flu?

Symptoms of COVID-19 can be similar to a bad cold or the flu. Your doctor will
suspect COVID-19 if:
 You have a fever and a cough.
 You have been exposed to people who have it within the last 14 days.
 Cold vs. Flu vs.

Allergies vs. COVID-19

Symptoms Cold Flu Allergies COVID-19

(can range from

moderate to
severe)

Fever Rare High (100-102 F), Never Common

Can last 3-4 days

Headache Rare Intense Uncommon Can be present

General aches, pains Slight Usual, often severe Never Can be present

Tiredness Mild Intense, starts early, Sometimes Common

c

Longhaul exhaustion Never Usual gone in 2-3 Never Can be present

weeks

Stuffy/runny nose Common Sometimes Common Has been reported

Sneezing Usual Sometimes Usual Has been reported

Sore throat Common Common Sometimes Has been reported

Cough Mild to moderate Common, can Sometimes Common

become severe

Loss of smell and taste Sometimes Sometimes Never Has been reported

Rash Rare Rare Can Happen Can Happen

Pink Eye Can Happen Can Happen Can Happen Can Happen

Diarrhea Never Sometimes in Never Has been reported

children

Shortness of Breath Rare Rare Rare, except for In more serious

those with allergic infections
asthma

Chest Pain Rare In more serious Rare In more serious

infections infections
Coronavirus Transmission
How does COVID-19 spread?
COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person. People release respiratory fluids
during exhalation (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing,
sneezing) in the form of droplets across a spectrum of sizes. These droplets carry
viruses and transmit infection. The largest droplets settle out of the air rapidly,
within seconds to minutes. The smallest very fine droplets, and aerosol particles
formed when these fine droplets rapidly dry, are small enough that they can
remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.
The risk of transmission is greatest within three to six feet of an infectious source
where the concentration of these very fine droplets and particles is greatest. If
you breathe them in or swallow them, the virus can get into your body. Some
people who have the virus don't have symptoms, but they can still spread the
virus.
While less likely, you can also get the virus from touching a surface or object the
virus is on, then touching your mouth, nose, or possibly your eyes. Most viruses
can live for several hours on a surface that they land on. OVID-19 can last for
several hours on various types of surfaces:
 Copper (pennies, teakettles, cookware): 4 hours
 Cardboard (shipping boxes): up to 24 hours
 Plastic (milk containers, detergent bottles, subway and bus seats, elevator
buttons):2 to 3 days
 Stainless steel (refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles): 2 to
3 days
That's why it's important to wash or sanitize your hands regularly and disinfect
surfaces to get rid of the virus.
Some dogs and cats have tested positive for the virus. A few have shown signs of
illness. There's no evidence that humans can catch this coronavirus from an
animal, but it appears it can be passed from humans to animals.
How fast is it spreading?
The number of people infected or re-infected by COVID-19 changes every day.
Coronavirus Vaccine
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated. There are
four vaccines, which have been granted FDA approval; Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna,
Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson.
References :
1- WebMD .com
Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on December 26, 2022
2- https://www.britannica.com/
Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica