Comparison of the COVID-2019 (SARS-CoV-2) Pathogenesis With SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Infections

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in several patients who traveled to Wuhan or went to a seafood wholesale market in Wuhan. The phylogenetic tree showed that SARS-CoV-2 was 96.2% identical to bat β-coronaviruses from lineage B. Also, several studies reported that SARS-CoV-2 uses the SARS-CoV receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, for entry to target cells. Lung alveolar and small intestine are potential targets for SARS-CoV-2 due to the high expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. In this review, we focused on the zoonotic β-coronaviruses and given there is no specific drug or vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019, we reviewed the literature on the therapy options for SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection, in order to discover their possible use in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Keywords:

• ACE2
• coronavirus
• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• zoonotic diseases

Author contributions

M Fani searched and wrote the primary manuscript, A Teimoori scientifically checked the manuscript and S Ghafari edited and scientifically checked the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran and Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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

Ethical conduct of research

This is a review article written based on a search of scientific databases.