Drug-Based Therapeutic Strategies for COVID-19-Infected Patients and Their Challenges

Abstract

Emerging epidemic-prone diseases have introduced numerous health and economic challenges in recent years. Given current knowledge of COVID-19, herd immunity through vaccines alone is unlikely. In addition, vaccination of the global population is an ongoing challenge. Besides, the questions regarding the prevalence and the timing of immunization are still under investigation. Therefore, medical treatment remains essential in the management of COVID-19. Herein, recent advances from beginning observations of COVID-19 outbreak to an understanding of the essential factors contributing to the spread and transmission of COVID-19 and its treatment are reviewed. Furthermore, an in-depth discussion on the epidemiological aspects, clinical symptoms and most efficient medical treatment strategies to mitigate the mortality and spread rates of COVID-19 is presented.

Keywords::

• antibiotics
• antimalarial
• antiparasitic
• corticosteroids
• COVID-19
• immunomodulatory drugs
• immunosuppressants
• therapeutic drugs

Acknowledgments

F Farjadian would like to thank the Research Council of Shiraz University for supporting this work.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the Research Council of Shiraz University under COVID-19 special projects, grant no. 98-01-106-22079. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Council of Shiraz University under COVID-19 special projects, grant no. 98-01-106-22079. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.