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

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 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

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 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

Amino Acid Sequence ; Genetic Structures ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Viral ; Molecular Sequence Data ; SARS Virus ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo establish a fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (F-PCR) method for detecting the coronavirus related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to evaluate its value for clinical application.

METHODSThe primers and the fluorescence-labeled probe were designed and synthesized according to the published sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus genes. A F-PCR diagnosis kit for detecting the coronavirus was developed, and 115 clinical nasopharyngeal gargling liquid samples were tested.

RESULTSThe sequence of PCR amplified products completely matched the related sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus genome. Forty-nine out of 67 samples from identified SARS patients and 8 of 18 samples from persons having close contact with SARS patients showed positive results. All 30 samples from healthy controls were negative.

CONCLUSIONThe F-PCR method established may be a rapid, accurate and efficient way for screening and for the early diagnosis of SARS patients.

Fluorescence ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

The loci of cDNA sequences for valid diagnosis have been identified through the selection of the genome of SARS coronaries. The gene chips for diagnosing such virus have been developed, based on our own-developed technology for manufacturing and application of gene chips. The diagnoses given by such gene chips were consistent well with the reports of clinical laboratories (94.29%) and the sensitivity reached 10(-2)/ml virus molecules. This method is well suited for the clinical use in SARS coronaries diagnosis.
Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; SARS Virus ; isolation & purification ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

Beijing has been one of the epicenters attacked most severely by the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) since the first patient was diagnosed in one of the city's hospitals. We now report complete genome sequences of the BJ Group, including four isolates (Isolates BJ01, BJ02, BJ03, and BJ04) of the SARS-CoV. It is remarkable that all members of the BJ Group share a common haplotype, consisting of seven loci that differentiate the group from other isolates published to date. Among 42 substitutions uniquely identified from the BJ group, 32 are non-synonymous changes at the amino acid level. Rooted phylogenetic trees, proposed on the basis of haplotypes and other sequence variations of SARS-CoV isolates from Canada, USA, Singapore, and China, gave rise to different paradigms but positioned the BJ Group, together with the newly discovered GD01 (GD-Ins29) in the same clade, followed by the H-U Group (from Hong Kong to USA) and the H-T Group (from Hong Kong to Toronto), leaving the SP Group (Singapore) more distant. This result appears to suggest a possible transmission path from Guangdong to Beijing/Hong Kong, then to other countries and regions.
Genome, Viral ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mutation ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; SARS Virus ; genetics