On February and March 2003, SARS broke into Vietnam. To prevent the outbreak, it was necessary to supervise closely and regularly all acute pulmonary infectious patients, to detect patients based on diagnosis criteria. SARS outbreak is very dangerous, and it requires emergency epidemic reports, isolated areas of especial treatments for patients. Individuals exposed to SARS patients and people in the community need to be guided and encouraged for use preventive methods. Along with preventive individualization, it’s necessary to have preventive methods for community, especially for high-risk people of SARS infection
SARS Virus ; Preventive Medicine ; Public Health

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of coronavirus pneumonia, which is caused by infection of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The virus infects lung cells by binding angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of cell surface, which leads to leukocyte infiltration, increased permeability of blood vessels and alveolar walls, and decreased surfactant in the lung, causing respiratory symptoms. The aggravation of local inflammation causes cytokine storm, resulting in systemic inflammatory response syndrome. In December 2019, a number of new pneumonia cases were reported by Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, after then a novel coronavirus was isolated and identified as SARS-CoV-2. To the date of Sep. 13th, 2020, COVID-19 is affecting 216 countries or regions, causing 28 637 952 cases, 917 417 deaths, and the mortality rate is 3.20%. This review will summarize the structure of SARS-CoV-2 and the pharmaceutical treatment of COVID-19, and their potential relationships.
Betacoronavirus ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; SARS Virus ; SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVETo study the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus genotype and its characteristics.

METHODSA SARS-associated coronavirus isolate named ZJ01 was obtained from throat swab samples taken from a patient in Hangzhou, Zhejing province. The complete genome sequence of ZJ01 consisted of 29,715 bp (GenBank accession: AY297028, version: gi: 30910859). Seventeen SARS-associated coronavirus genome sequences in GenBank were compared to analyze the common sequence variations and the probability of co-occurrence of multiple polymorphisms or mutations. Phylogenetic analysis of those sequences was done.

RESULTSBy bioinformatics processing and analysis, the 5 loci nucleotides at ZJ01 genome were found being T, T, G, T and T, respectively. Compared with other SARS-associated coronavirus genomes in the GenBank database, an A/G mutation was detected besides the other 4 mutation loci (C:G:C:C/T:T:T:T) involved in this genetic signature. Therefore a new definition was put forward according to the 5 mutation loci. SARS-associated coronavirus strains would be grouped into two genotypes (C:G:A:C:C/T:T:G:T:T), and abbreviated as SARS coronavirus C genotype and T genotype. On the basis of this new definition, the ZJ01 isolate belongs to SARS-associated coronavirus T genotype, first discovered and reported in mainland China. Phylogenetic analysis of the spike protein gene fragments of these SARS-associated coronavirus strains showed that the GZ01 isolate was phylogenetically distinct from other isolates, and compared with groups F1 and F2 of the T genotype, the isolates of BJ01 and CUHK-W1 were more closely related to the GZ01 isolate. It was interesting to find that two (A/G and C/T) of the five mutation loci occurred in the spike protein gene, which caused changes of Asp to Gly and Thr to Ile in the protein, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAttention should be paid to whether these genotype and mutation patterns are related to the virus's biological activities,epidemic characteristics and host clinical symptoms.

Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; SARS Virus ; genetics

Traditional DNA sequence analysis is based on sequence alignment, while a new DNA visual sequence analysis is proposed in this paper. Based on S. Wolfram's cellular automation theory, the method transfers one-dimensional DNA sequence into two-demensional visual image. Applying this method to SARS DNA sequence analysis, a characteristic of SARS-CoV differing from non-SARS is discovered. Compared with all known coronaviruses' images, It is found that this is a unique characteristic of SARS virus, and it is helpful to clinical identification of SARS.
Algorithms ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus replication, and to lay bases for the future clinical application of siRNA for the treatment of viral infectious diseases.

METHODSVero-E6 cells was transfected with siRNA before SARS virus infection, and the effectiveness of siRNA interference was evaluated by observing the cytopathic effect (CPE) on Vero-E6 cells.

RESULTSFive pairs of siRNA showed ability to reduce CPE dose dependently, and two of them had the best effect.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA may be effective in inhibiting SARS-associated coronavirus replication.

Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; SARS Virus ; drug effects ; Transfection ; Vero Cells ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

Humans ; SARS Virus ; classification ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

OBJECTIVEElectron microscopical study of infected cells to identify the pathogenic agent of SARS.

METHODSVero E6 cells infected with lung autopsy samples or nasopharyngeal swabs from SARS patients of Beijing and Guangzhou were inoculated. The supernatant and cultured cells exhibiting identifiable cytopathic effect (CPE) were prepared for electron microscopic study.

RESULTSExamination of CPE cells on thin-section revealed characteristic coronavirus particles within the cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, vesicles and extracellular space. They were mainly spherical or oval in shape, annular or dense, about 80 nm in diameter. Negative-stain electron microscopy identified coronavirus particles in culture supernatant, 80 - 120 nm in diameter, with club-shaped surface projections. Elongated, rod-, kidney- or other irregular shaped virons with the size of 100 - 200 nm by 60 - 90 nm were also found in the cultured cells infected with the lung samples from the Guangdong patients. Infectious virons entered cells by endocytosis or membrane fusion and released through a budding process.

CONCLUSIONThese data indicate a novel coronavirus as the causative agent of SARS. Most viral particles showed typical characteristics of coronavirus. The potential role of special shape viruses is expected to be further investigated.

Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; SARS Virus ; ultrastructure ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology ; Vero Cells

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Humans ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThe causal agent for SARS is considered as a novel coronavirus that has never been described both in human and animals previously. The stability of SARS coronavirus in human specimens and in environments was studied.

METHODSUsing a SARS coronavirus strain CoV-P9, which was isolated from pharyngeal swab of a probable SARS case in Beijing, its stability in mimic human specimens and in mimic environment including surfaces of commonly used materials or in household conditions, as well as its resistance to temperature and UV irradiation were analyzed. A total of 10(6) TCID50 viruses were placed in each tested condition, and changes of the viral infectivity in samples after treatments were measured by evaluating cytopathic effect (CPE) in cell line Vero-E6 at 48 h after infection.

RESULTSThe results showed that SARS coronavirus in the testing condition could survive in serum, 1:20 diluted sputum and feces for at least 96 h, whereas it could remain alive in urine for at least 72 h with a low level of infectivity. The survival abilities on the surfaces of eight different materials and in water were quite comparable, revealing reduction of infectivity after 72 to 96 h exposure. Viruses stayed stable at 4 degrees C, at room temperature (20 degrees C) and at 37 degrees C for at least 2 h without remarkable change in the infectious ability in cells, but were converted to be non-infectious after 90-, 60- and 30-min exposure at 56 degrees C, at 67 degrees C and at 75 degrees C, respectively. Irradiation of UV for 60 min on the virus in culture medium resulted in the destruction of viral infectivity at an undetectable level.

CONCLUSIONThe survival ability of SARS coronavirus in human specimens and in environments seems to be relatively strong. Heating and UV irradiation can efficiently eliminate the viral infectivity.

Environment ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Pharynx ; virology ; SARS Virus ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Survival Analysis ; Ultraviolet Rays

Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; SARS Virus ; immunology