Abstract
To date, a total of seven human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have been identified, all of which are important respiratory pathogens. Recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to a global pandemic causing millions of infections and deaths. Here, we summarize the discovery and fundamental virology of HCoVs, discuss their zoonotic transmission and highlight the weak species barrier of SARS-CoV-2. We also discuss the possible origins of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern identified to date and discuss the experimental challenges in characterizing mutations of interest and propose methods to circumvent them. As the COVID-19 treatment and prevention landscape rapidly evolves, we summarize current therapeutics and vaccines, and their implications on SARS-CoV-2 variants. Finally, we explore how interspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2 may drive the emergence of novel strains, how disease severity may evolve and how COVID-19 will likely continue to burden healthcare systems globally.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Vaccines, variants of concern, Long COVID, human coronaviruses, Cross-species transmission, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, coronavirus disease, coronavirus, Mutation, disease severity, SARS-CoV-2 variant, Infection, global pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 variants, Respiratory pathogens, Strains, deaths, Healthcare system, acute respiratory syndrome, zoonotic transmission, transmission of SARS-CoV-2, implication, highlight, Seven, human coronavirus, circumvent, 【제목키워드】 Human, management,