ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Mini Review | Open Access
Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales1,2 , D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana1,3, Ruchi Tiwari4, Ranjit Sah5, Ali A. Rabaan6 and Kuldeep Dhama7
1Public Health and Infection Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia.
2Grupo de Investigacion Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundacion Universitaria Autonoma de las Americas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.
3Semillero de Zoonosis, Grupo de Investigacion BIOECOS, Fundacion Universitaria Autonoma de las Americas, Sede Pereira, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.
4Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Sciences, UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalay Evum Go-Anusandhan Sansthan (DUVASU), Mathura – 281 001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
5Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal.
6Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
7Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar – 243 122, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
J. Pure Appl. Microbiol., 2020, 14 (1): 05-12 | Article Number: 6150
https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.14.1.02 | © The Author(s). 2020
Received: 09/03/2020 | Accepted: 11/03/2020 | Published: 11/03/2020
Abstract

During December 2019, a novel coronavirus virus (2019-nCov) emerged in China, which posed an International Public Health Emergency in a couple of weeks, and very recently attained the position of a very high-risk category by World Health Organization (WHO). This virus was named the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), and the disease referred to as Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19). Till March 8, 2020, the virus has claimed the lives of nearly 3,600 humans out a total of approximately 110,000 confirmed cases affected by this infection. The present editorial is a brief overview highlighting the most salient features and facts with regards to COVID-19, an emerging coronavirus infection, its causative virus (SARS-CoV-2), the current worldwide scenario, recent developments and currently ongoing progresses to contain and control this disease which have now spread to more than 100 countries across the globe. Of note, worldwide researchers and various health agencies are all together doing their best to halt the spread of this virus and avoid any possible pandemic situation to be faced, which otherwise would threaten the lives of millions of human beings.

Keywords

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Current situation, Recent developments, Prevention, Control.

Introduction

Coronaviruses are continually evolving. Examples include the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that caused fatal outbreaks earlier, and now the present emerging Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-2 Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), initially expressed as pneumonia of unknown origin, thus posing a significant threat to public health across the globe1-3. COVID-19 has represented a high negative impact on the economy of China as well as a few other nations4,5. The lessons from such earlier threats of SARS, MERS and of the current COVID-19 situations need to be kept in mind for formulating plans for countering such and other emerging and zoonotic pathogens that could pose pandemic threats while putting human lives at bay6.

Current Scenario
After its initial emergence in Wuhan, China,during December month of the year 2019, this novel emerging CoV was included under the Public Health International Emergency category on January 30, 20207,8. Besides affecting mainly China, SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 has now spread to more than 100 countries (9). Out of cumulative 111,354 confirmed cases, 3,892 human deaths have been documented as of March 9, 202010,11. Due to such a quick jump with regards to the total number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected persons as well as affecting several countries in a short time interval, the WHO designated it under a very high-risk category. Few of the reports have mentioned the possibility of probable pandemic risks and threats with the bloom. They loom in rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19, alarming us to put very high efforts to check the spread of this widely circulating virus among world population by following appropriate prevention and control measures along with formulating global solutions and modified strategies with future perspectives12-19.

The Virus (SARS-CoV-2 )
The SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped, spherical shape, single-stranded plus sense RNA virus with helical symmetry belonging to beta coronaviruses of Coronaviridae20. The virus has peplomers made up of glycoprotein projected over the envelope in a manner of crown (hence named corona), and these spike proteins help in binding with receptors present in the body of animals (bats, rodents, civets, cats, Malayan pangolins, camels, among other potentially competent hosts) and humans21-23. Modifications at the level of spikes on receptor binding ligands are responsible for zoonotic spillover and crossing of the species barrier. As per high genomic similarities, it is suggested that SARS-CoV-2 producing COVID-19 in humans has its origin from bats as bats acted as natural ancestral host24-28. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and cryo-electron microscopic images of the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 confirmed the change in spike glycoprotein of SARS coronavirus-229. In the Coronaviridae family, seven viruses affect mainly human beings, four producing mild respiratory illness, while three including- SARS-CoV-1, MERS, and current SARS-CoV-2 were dangerous as produced epidemics. ICTV named this pneumonia-causing virus as SARS-CoV-2 instead of 2019-nCoV as genetic studies revealed the similarity between SARS (2002-2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak) coronavirus and COVID-19 producing coronavirus30. Genomic studies indicated that there is a difference of merely five nucleotides in between SARS coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 and emphasized that 2019-nCoV has emerged from SARS CoV31. SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted from animal to person or person to person via airborne particles/drops. The virus infects type 2 pneumocytes and ciliated bronchial epithelial cells through ACE2 receptors 18,32. The virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, tears, and body fluids if exposed to the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, or nose. Other transmission modes are yet to be further elucidated if so.

The Disease (COVID-19)
COVID-19 is the third CoV outbreak in humans that occurred in last two decades, causing clinical manifestations of respiratory, digestive, and systematic affections, mainly expressed by pnemonia33,34. The case fatality rate is around 2-3%, but severely affected patients may die due to excessive alveolar damage, which leads to progressive respiratory failure as evident from many countries including Italy and China35. Due to close contact, few persons may remain as asymptomatic carriers without manifesting any clinical symptoms of cold, fever, fatigue or lung pathology. As competent carrier they can shed virus till 21 days of period to other persons who will come in contact to them36. Initial symptoms include fever, mild chills, dry cough, fatigue and shortness of breath, severe respiratory distress, pulmonary pneumonia, which worsen if timely not diagnosed and not appropriately medicated37. As lung inflammation advances hypoxemia triggers and to compensate shortness of breath, sometimes cardiac arrest takes place, and hence patient sinks. Therefore, it is advised as soon as symptoms of dry cough and fever begin to appear, consult a medical practitioner to prevent further pathology within the body38. Histological examination performed over biopsy tissues obtained from lung, liver, and heart tissue elaborated detailed picture of desquamation of pneumocytes, the formation of hyaline membrane, bilateral diffused alveolar damage, presence of cellular fibromyxoidexudate. As marked cytopathic effects, multi nucleated syncytial cells along with atypical enlarged pneumocytes and interstitial mononuclear inflammatory infiltrates with the majority of lymphocytes in the affected lungs are prominent features39.

Zoonotic links
Recently, few of the reports have highlighted the role of animals, veterinary, cross-species jumping, zoonotic links and spillover events of SARS-CoV-2 and its transmission to humans, before acquiring human to human transmission, as have been implicated with SARS and MERS2,6,40-46. Atypical exposure point of SARS-CoV-2 has pointed out towards the implication of seafood market in Wuhan, China47, as a wet-market that sells different kinds of poultry, bats, snakes, marmots and other wildlife animals for human consumption at a single place, that can act as hot spot acting as a human-animal interphase/interaction event, where zoonotic viruses can jump to cross-species barrier-or spillover to humans through seafood tanks, presence of live-dead animals body fluids, blood, excretion or air born mode of transmission leading to the emergence of novel pathogens such as SARS-COV-2 and others48. Still in some parts of world, western medicines are not much popular or in practice and people yet rely on using traditional medicines which uses not only various herbs but bat saliva, dung and other body parts are also used. As bats are employed as materia medica, so we can not deny the probability of zoonotic spillover through bats24,28. By involving intermediate hosts (bridge hosts), SARS-CoV-2/ 2019-nCoV attained altered pathogenicity and enhanced transmissibility through modified receptor binding domain (RBD)2,18,26,49-57.

Diagnosis
For prompt diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, molecular tools are widely preferred58-62. Serological diagnosis is not of much help at the peak of the epidemic, though serum samples of recovered patients can be tested to know the titer of IgG. In severely infected patients, computed tomography technique (CT) and X-Ray can be of help to observe the lesions of pulmonary pneumonia in the lungs in correlation with clinical symptoms to depict the picture of COVID-1937. For the diagnosis of exposed but asymptomatic carriers, detection of viral nucleic acid (RNA) is of pertinent help, and by using pharyngeal swab the viral RNA can be detected, such carriers should be kept in isolation to prevent the transmission and spread risk25,36. Most popularly, real-time RT-PCR (rRT-qPCR) is performed over respiratory secretions so that within a short period, viral RNA can be detected63. Researchers have also developed a reverse transcriptional loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) diagnostic technique for rapid and colorimetric detection of COVID-19 coronavirus. This isothermal LAMP-based method for COVID-19 detection is referred to as iLACO. In this technique, a fragment of the ORF1ab gene was amplified by using six primers, and phenol red are used as a pH indicator when amplification takes place color changes from pink to light yellow. At the same time, in negative cases, it remains pink64. In addition to that, multiple reference laboratories are progressing sequencing the complete genome from the rRT-PCR positive isolates.

Therapeutics/Drugs and Vaccines
As infected individuals are hospitalized, human patients should immediately be given symptomatic and supportive treatment as per severity of symptoms65,66. Therapy may be comprised of supplementary oxygen or high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy through nasal route to reduce breathing stress if needed methylprednisolone intravenously to correct hypoxemia and in extreme cases adrenaline by intravenous route (IV), any repurposed drug such as lopinavir plus ritonavir as anti-viral drug by oral way, moxifloxacin or any antibiotic to prevent secondary bacterial infection by IM/IV route37,65. Nevertheless, multiple drugs are under study, including other antiretrovirals, such as is the case of remdesevir, but also antivirals such as oseltamivir and other therapies, including chloroquine and even indomethacin. Researchers are making high efforts to design and develop suitable vaccines for COVID-19, which may take some time2,67-69. In this context, efficient management of COVID-19 pneumonia by active prevention and control in a scientific manner is of utmost importance following the national and international developed guidelines70.

Prevention and Control
It is imperative to prevent the spark (origin at the new place) and spread (transmission between susceptible and infected) risk both to avoid the conversion of COVID-19 epidemic to pandemic and for this purpose rigorous surveillance screening should be done to know-how the pattern of emerging zoonotic epidemics71,72. Individual protection and community protection both need to be robust. World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have issued instruction and COVID-19 containment strategies for the ordinary people, clinicians, travelers and for infected patients to follow so that transmission to healthy population can be prevented11,73-79. It is advised to share awareness programs through social networking sites and platforms and follow intense epidemiological surveillance so that any new case (symptomatic and asymptomatic both) of COVID-19 can be notified to WHO80-82. Epidemiological screening of bat CoVs should be done at large global scale to have a datasheet which will be a pathfinder for newly emerging and re-emerging zoonotic pathogens83. The governments should encourage travelers to postpone their tours to avoid exposure to COVID-19 affected countries and those who are returning back from affected countries must be isolated and quarantined for health check-ups and evaluation of their health status5,54-57,84-86. People should wash their hands with soap-water or prefer to use sanitizers, should remain inside home, should refrain from crowded places and avoid contacts with live-dead animals especially wild animals, children, and older adults must take precautions as they are more prone to the severe respiratory distress syndrome of COVID-1987. If people presents respiratory symptoms should wear face mask in order to avoid further transmission to other susceptible people. China has forced a temporary ban on the sale of wild animals in Wuhan animal market and planning to forbid the wildlife trading permanently88.

Indeed, considering previous experiences of edidemics and pandemics in different regions of the world, with other emerging infectious diseases, as the case of SARS, MERS16,27, but also swine flu and avian flu, Ebola, Nipah, Chikungunya and Zika2,67-69,89-91, health authorities and healthcare providers including hospitals must apply the learned experiences on previous epidemics and pandemics to frame some implementable protective strategies14,16,92-95. That includes the rational use of quarantine and appropriate disease prevention, management and control procedures to be timely implemented15,19,70,96. Besides all the, One health approach also need due attention for prevention and control of this disease and other probable future epidemics2,50-52,67-69,97.

CONCLUSION and FUTURE PROSPECTS

Worldwide scientists, researchers, and various health agencies are working days and nights with very high efforts to stop the further transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2 by following strict vigilance, intervention strategies, heightened prevention and control policies, and are in a race to fight COVID-19 by designing appropriate vaccines and therapeutics to keep away any pandemic situation which may arise otherwise if this virus could not be halted. Although that many aspects, derived from the research, are still to be developed, as is the case that facing the pandemic of COVID-19 many elements in certain age groups, as occurs in pediatricis not year clear14,98. Finally, One health approach would play an essential role in combatting COVID-19 as well as such diseases in the future. That is not a magic bullet, but yes, the world needs global solutions to prevent still or mitigate a pandemic19.

Declarations

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
All the authors acknowledge and thank their respective Institutes and Universities.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTION
All the authors substantially contributed to the conception, design, analysis, and interpretation of data, checking and approving the final version of the manuscript, and agree to be accountable for its contents.

FUNDING
This compilation is a review article written, analyzed, and designed by its authors and required no substantial funding to be stated.

References
  1. Deng SQ, Peng HJ. Characteristics of and Public Health Responses to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in China. J Clin Med., 2020; 9(2).
    Crossref
  2. Dhama K, Sharun K, Tiwari R, Sircar S, Bhat S, Malik YS et al. Coronavirus Disease 2019 – COVID-19. Preprints, 2020;
    Crossref
  3. Ramadan N, Shaib H. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): A review. Germs, 2019; 9(1): 35-42. https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2019.1155
  4. Ayittey FK, Ayittey MK, Chiwero NB, Kamasah JS, Dzuvor C. Economic impacts of Wuhan 2019-nCoV on China and the world. J Med Virol., 2020.
    Crossref
  5. Cheng AC, Williamson DA. An outbreak of COVID-19 caused by a new coronavirus: what we know so far. Med J Aust., 2020.
    Crossref
  6. Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Balbin-Ramon GJ, Paniz-Mondolfi A, Rabaan A, Sah R et al. History is repeating itself, a probable zoonotic spillover as a cause of an epidemic: the case of 2019 novel Coronavirus. Infez Med., 2020; 28(1): 3-5.
  7. Li Q, Guan X, Wu P, Wang X, Zhou L, Tong Y et al. Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia. N Engl J Med., 2020.
  8. Liu SL, Saif L. Emerging Viruses without Borders: The Wuhan Coronavirus. Viruses, 2020; 12(2).
    Crossref
  9. Wood C. Infections without borders: a new coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Br J Nurs., 2020; 29(3): 166-7.
    Crossref
  10. Dong E, Du H, Gardner L. An interactive web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 in real time. Lancet Infect Dis., 2020.
    Crossref
  11. World Health Organization. Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) – Situation report – 48 – 8 March 2020. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/ 2020
  12. Azamfirei R. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus: A Crown Jewel of Pandemics? J Crit Care Med (Targu Mures). 2020; 6(1): 3-4.
    Crossref
  13. Cohen J, Kupferschmidt K. Strategies shift as coronavirus pandemic looms. Science, 2020; 367(6481): 962-3.
    Crossref
  14. Fang F, Luo XP. [Facing the pandemic of 2019 novel coronavirus infections: the pediatric perspectives]. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi., 2020; 58(2): 81-5.
  15. Khan S, Siddique R, Ali A, Xue M, Nabi G. Novel coronavirus, poor quarantine, and the risk of pandemic. J Hosp Infect., 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.02.002
  16. Peeri NC, Shrestha N, Rahman MS, Zaki R, Tan Z, Bibi S et al. The SARS, MERS and novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemics, the newest and biggest global health threats: what lessons have we learned? Int J Epidemiol., 2020.
    Crossref
  17. Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Gallego V, Escalera-Antezana JP, Mendez CA, Zambrano LI, Franco-Paredes C et al. COVID-19 in Latin America: The implications of the first confirmed case in Brazil. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2020; 101613.
    Crossref
  18. Rodriguez-Morales AJ, MacGregor K, Kanagarajah S, Patel D, Schlagenhauf P. Going global – Travel and the 2019 novel coronavirus. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2020; 33: 101578.
    Crossref
  19. Watts CH, Vallance P, Whitty CJM. Coronavirus: global solutions to prevent a pandemic. Nature, 2020; 578(7795): 363.
    Crossref
  20. Wassenaar TM, Zou Y. 2019_nCoV/SARS-CoV-2: rapid classification of betacoronaviruses and identification of Traditional Chinese Medicine as potential origin of zoonotic coronaviruses. Lett Appl Microbiol., 2020.
    Crossref
  21. Wang LF, Eaton BT. Bats, civets and the emergence of SARS. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol., 2007; 315: 325-44.
    Crossref
  22. Paraskevis D, Kostaki EG, Magiorkinis G, Panayiotakopoulos G, Sourvinos G, Tsiodras S. Full-genome evolutionary analysis of the novel corona virus (2019-nCoV) rejects the hypothesis of emergence as a result of a recent recombination event. Infect Genet Evol., 2020; 79: 104212.
    Crossref
  23. Xiao K, Zhai J, Feng Y, Zhou N, Zhang X, Zou J-J et al. Isolation and Characterization of 2019-nCoV-like Coronavirus from Malayan Pangolins. bioRxiv., 2020.
    Crossref
  24. Riccucci M. Bats as materia medica: an ethnomedical review and implications for conservation. Vespertilio., 2013; 16: 249-70.
  25. Hu B, Ge X, Wang LF, Shi Z. Bat origin of human coronaviruses. Virol J., 2015; 12: 221.
    Crossref
  26. Li X, Song Y, Wong G, Cui J. Bat origin of a new human coronavirus: there and back again. Sci China Life Sci., 2020.
    Crossref
  27. Malik YS, Sircar S, Bhat S, Sharun K, Dhama K, Dadar M et al. Emerging novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)-current scenario, evolutionary perspective based on genome analysis and recent developments. Vet Q., 2020; 40(1): 68-76.
    Crossref
  28. Zhou P, Yang XL, Wang XG, Hu B, Zhang L, Zhang W et al. A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature, 2020.
  29. Song W, Gui M, Wang X, Xiang Y. Cryo-EM structure of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein in complex with its host cell receptor ACE2. PLoS Pathog., 2018; 14(8): e1007236.
    Crossref
  30. Gorbalenya AE. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus – The species and its viruses, a statement of the Coronavirus Study Group. bioRxiv., 2020: 2020.02.07.937862.
  31. Benvenuto D, Giovanetti M, Ciccozzi A, Spoto S, Angeletti S, Ciccozzi M. The 2019-new coronavirus epidemic: Evidence for virus evolution. J Med Virol., 2020; 92(4): 455-9.
    Crossref
  32. Lu R, Zhao X, Li J, Niu P, Yang B, Wu H et al. Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding. Lancet, 2020; 395(10224): 565-74.
    Crossref
  33. Munster VJ, Koopmans M, van Doremalen N, van Riel D, de Wit E. A Novel Coronavirus Emerging in China – Key Questions for Impact Assessment. N Engl J Med., 2020; 382(8): 692-4.
    Crossref
  34. Yang D, Leibowitz JL. The structure and functions of coronavirus genomic 3’ and 5’ ends. Virus Res., 2015; 206: 120-33.
    Crossref
  35. Porcheddu R, Serra C, Kelvin D, Kelvin N, Rubino S. Similarity in Case Fatality Rates (CFR) of COVID-19/SARS-COV-2 in Italy and China. J Infect Dev Ctries., 2020; 14(2): 125-8.
    Crossref
  36. Hu Z, Song C, Xu C, Jin G, Chen Y, Xu X et al. Clinical characteristics of 24 asymptomatic infections with COVID-19 screened among close contacts in Nanjing, China. Sci China Life Sci., 2020.
    Crossref
  37. Xu Z, Shi L, Wang Y, Zhang J, Huang L, Zhang C et al. Pathological findings of COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Lancet Respir Med., 2020.
    Crossref
  38. Chan JF-W, Yuan S, Kok K-H, To KK-W, Chu H, Yang J et al. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. The Lancet, 2020.
    Crossref
  39. Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. The Lancet, 2020; 395(10223): 497-506.
    Crossref
  40. Ahmad T, Khan M, Haroon, Musa TH, Nasir S, Hui J et al. COVID-19: Zoonotic aspects. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2020: 101607.
    Crossref
  41. Ahmad T, Khan M, Khan FM, Hui J. Are we ready for the new fatal Coronavirus: scenario of Pakistan? Hum Vaccin Immunother., 2020: 1-3.
    Crossref
  42. Ji W, Wang W, Zhao X, Zai J, Li X. Cross-species transmission of the newly identified coronavirus 2019-nCoV. J Med Virol., 2020; 92(4): 433-40.
    Crossref
  43. Li X, Zai J, Zhao Q, Nie Q, Li Y, Foley BT et al. Evolutionary history, potential intermediate animal host, and cross-species analyses of SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol., 2020.
    Crossref
  44. Mohd HA, Al-Tawfiq JA, Memish ZA. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) origin and animal reservoir. Virol J., 2016; 13: 87.
    Crossref
  45. Murdoch DR, French NP. COVID-19: another infectious disease emerging at the animal-human interface. NZ Med J., 2020; 133(1510): 12-5.
  46. Salata C, Calistri A, Parolin C, Palu G. Coronaviruses: a paradigm of new emerging zoonotic diseases. Pathog Dis., 2019; 77(9).
    Crossref
  47. Hui DS, E IA, Madani TA, Ntoumi F, Kock R, Dar O et al. The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health – The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. Int J Infect Dis., 2020; 91: 264-6.
    Crossref
  48. Jalava K. First respiratory transmitted food borne outbreak? Int J Hyg Environ Health., 2020; 226: 113490.
    Crossref
  49. Biscayart C, Angeleri P, Lloveras S, Chaves T, Schlagenhauf P, Rodriguez-Morales AJ. The next big threat to global health? 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV): What advice can we give to travellers? – Interim recommendations January 2020, from the Latin-American society for Travel Medicine (SLAMVI). Travel Med Infect Dis., 2020: 101567.
    Crossref
  50. Bonilla-Aldana DK, Holguin-Rivera Y, Cortes-Bonilla I, Cardona-Trujillo MC, Garcia-Barco A, Bedoya-Arias HA et al. Coronavirus infections reported by ProMED, February 2000–January 2020. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2020: 101575.
    Crossref
  51. Bonilla-Aldana DK, Quintero-Rada K, Montoya-Posada JP, Ramirez S, Paniz-Mondolfi A, Rabaan A et al. SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and now the 2019-novel CoV: Have we investigated enough about coronaviruses? – A bibliometric analysis. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2020: 101566.
    Crossref
  52. Bonilla-Aldana DK, Villamil-Gomez WE, Rabaan AA, Rodriguez-Morales AJ. Una nueva zoonosis viral de preocupacion global: COVID-19, enfermedad por coronavirus 2019. Iatreia., 2020; 33(2).
  53. Caron A, Cappelle J, Cumming GS, de Garine-Wichatitsky M, Gaidet N. Bridge hosts, a missing link for disease ecology in multi-host systems. Vet Res., 2015; 46: 83.
    Crossref
  54. Chen L, Liu HG, Liu W, Liu J, Liu K, Shang J et al. [Analysis of clinical features of 29 patients with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi., 2020; 43(0): E005.
  55. Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, Qu J, Gong F, Han Y et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. The Lancet, 2020, doi 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7.
    Crossref
  56. Chen W, Yan M, Yang L, Ding B, He B, Wang Y et al. SARS-associated coronavirus transmitted from human to pig. Emerg Infect Dis., 2005; 11(3): 446-8.
    Crossref
  57. Chen Y, Liu Q, Guo D. Coronaviruses: genome structure, replication, and pathogenesis. J Med Virol., 2020.
    Crossref
  58. Zhang MQ, Wang XH, Chen YL, Zhao KL, Cai YQ, An CL et al. [Clinical features of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in the early stage from a fever clinic in Beijing]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi., 2020; 43(0): E013.
  59. Zhang N, Wang L, Deng X, Liang R, Su M, He C et al. Recent advances in the detection of respiratory virus infection in humans. J Med Virol., 2020.
    Crossref
  60. Zhang SF, Tuo JL, Huang XB, Zhu X, Zhang DM, Zhou K et al. Epidemiology characteristics of human coronaviruses in patients with respiratory infection symptoms and phylogenetic analysis of HCoV-OC43 during 2010-2015 in Guangzhou. PLoS ONE, 2018; 13(1): e0191789.
    Crossref
  61. Zhang W, Zheng XS, Agwanda B, Ommeh S, Zhao K, Lichoti J et al. Serological evidence of MERS-CoV and HKU8-related CoV co-infection in Kenyan camels. Emerg Microbes Infect., 2019; 8(1): 1528-34.
    Crossref
  62. Zhang XM, Kousoulas KG, Storz J. The hemagglutinin/esterase gene of human coronavirus strain OC43: phylogenetic relationships to bovine and murine coronaviruses and influenza C virus. Virology, 1992; 186(1): 318-23.
    Crossref
  63. Corman VM, Jores J, Meyer B, Younan M, Liljander A, Said MY et al. Antibodies against MERS coronavirus in dromedary camels, Kenya, 1992-2013. Emerg Infect Dis., 2014; 20(8): 1319-22.
    Crossref
  64. Yu L, Wu S, Hao X, Li X, Liu X, Ye S et al. Rapid colorimetric detection of COVID-19 coronavirus using a reverse tran-scriptional loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) diagnostic plat-form: iLACO, 2020.
    Crossref
  65. Du B, Qiu HB, Zhan X, Wang YS, Kang HYJ, Li XY et al. [Pharmacotherapeutics for the New Coronavirus Pneumonia]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi., 2020; 43(0): E012.
  66. Jiang S, Du L, Shi Z. An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies. Emerg Microbes Infect., 2020; 9(1): 275-7.
    Crossref
  67. Dhama K, Karthik K, Khandia R, Chakraborty S, Munjal A, Latheef SK et al. Advances in Designing and Developing Vaccines, Drugs, and Therapies to Counter Ebola Virus. Front Immunol., 2018; 9: 1803.
    Crossref
  68. Dhama K, Verma A, S R, Deb R, Karthik K, Kapoor S et al. Swine flu is back again: A review. Pakistan journal of biological sciences: PJBS, 2012; 15: 1001-9.
    Crossref
  69. Dhama K, Chakraborty S, SK, Tiwari R, Kumar ARD et al. One world, one health – Veterinary perspectives. Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 2013; 1: 5-13.
    Crossref
  70. Gao ZC. [Efficient management of novel coronavirus pneumonia by efficient prevention and control in scientific manner]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi., 2020; 43(0): E001.
  71. Bonilla-Aldana DK, Suarez JA, Franco-Paredes C, Vilcarromero S, Mattar S, Gomez-Marin JE et al. Brazil burning! What is the potential impact of the Amazon wildfires on vector-borne and zoonotic emerging diseases? – A statement from an international experts meeting. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2019; 31: 101474.
    Crossref
  72. Ellwanger JH, Chies JAB. Zoonotic spillover and emerging viral diseases – time to intensify zoonoses surveillance in Brazil. Braz J Infect Dis., 2018; 22(1): 76-8.
    Crossref
  73. CDC. 2019 Novel Coronavirus – Prevention & Treatment. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html 2020.
  74. CDC U. 2019 Novel Coronavirus – Information for Healthcare Professionals 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html.
  75. World Health Organization. Communicating risk in public health emergencies: a WHO guideline for emergency risk communication (ERC) policy and practice. https://www.who.int/risk-communication/guidance/download/en/ 2017.
  76. World Health Organization. Statement on the meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/23-01-2020-statement-on-the-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov) 2020 [
  77. World Health Organization. Statement on the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov) 2020 [
  78. World Health Organization. Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) – Situation report – 10 – 30 January 2020. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200130-sitrep-10-ncov.pdf?sfvrsn=d0b2e480_2 2020 [
  79. World Health Organization;. List of Blueprint priority diseases 2018 [Available from: www.who.int/blueprint/priority-diseases/en/.
  80. Su S, Wong G, Shi W, Liu J, Lai ACK, Zhou J et al. Epidemiology, Genetic Recombination, and Pathogenesis of Coronaviruses. Trends Microbiol., 2016; 24(6): 490-502.
    Crossref
  81. Depoux A, Martin S, Karafillakis E, Bsd RP, Wilder-Smith A, Larson H. The pandemic of social media panic travels faster than the COVID-19 outbreak. J Travel Med., 2020.
    Crossref
  82. Thompson RN. Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in Wuhan, China, 2020: Intense Surveillance Is Vital for Preventing Sustained Transmission in New Locations. J Clin Med., 2020; 9(2).
    Crossref
  83. Wong ACP, Li X, Lau SKP, Woo PCY. Global Epidemiology of Bat Coronaviruses. Viruses, 2019; 11(2).
    Crossref
  84. Cheng VCC, Wong SC, To KKW, Ho PL, Yuen KY. Preparedness and proactive infection control measures against the emerging Wuhan coronavirus pneumonia in China. J Hosp Infect., 2020.
    Crossref
  85. Hellewell J, Abbott S, Gimma A, Bosse NI, Jarvis CI, Russell TW et al. Feasibility of controlling COVID-19 outbreaks by isolation of cases and contacts. Lancet Glob Health, 2020.
    Crossref
  86. Kaplan EH. Containing 2019-nCoV (Wuhan) coronavirus. Health Care Manag Sci., 2020.
    Crossref
  87. Shen K, Yang Y, Wang T, Zhao D, Jiang Y, Jin R et al. Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in children: experts’ consensus statement. World J Pediatr., 2020.
    Crossref
  88. Mallapaty S. China set to clamp down permanently on wildlife trade in wake of coronavirus. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00499-2. Nature, 2020.
    Crossref
  89. Munjal A, Khandia R, Dhama K, Sachan S, Karthik K, Tiwari R et al. Advances in Developing Therapies to Combat Zika Virus: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives. Front Microbiol., 2017; 8: 1469.
    Crossref
  90. Rodriguez-Morales AJ. Zika and microcephaly in Latin America: An emerging threat for pregnant travelers? Travel Med Infect Dis., 2016; 14(1): 5-6.
    Crossref
  91. Singh RK, Dhama K, Chakraborty S, Tiwari R, Natesan S, Khandia R et al. Nipah virus: epidemiology, pathology, immunobiology and advances in diagnosis, vaccine designing and control strategies – a comprehensive review. Vet Q., 2019; 39(1): 26-55.
    Crossref
  92. Bhadelia N. Coronavirus: hospitals must learn from past pandemics. Nature, 2020; 578(7794): 193.
    Crossref
  93. Harypursat V, Chen YK. Six weeks into the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak- it is time to consider strategies to impede the emergence of new zoonotic infections. Chin Med J (Engl)., 2020.
    Crossref
  94. Wilder-Smith A. The severe acute respiratory syndrome: impact on travel and tourism. Travel Med Infect Dis., 2006; 4(2): 53-60.
    Crossref
  95. Wilder-Smith A, Chiew CJ, Lee VJ. Can we contain the COVID-19 outbreak with the same measures as for SARS? Lancet Infect Dis., 2020.
    Crossref
  96. Khan SU, Gurley ES, Hossain MJ, Nahar N, Sharker MA, Luby SP. A randomized controlled trial of interventions to impede date palm sap contamination by bats to prevent nipah virus transmission in Bangladesh. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7(8): e42689.
    Crossref
  97. Daszak P, Olival KJ, Li H. A strategy to prevent future epidemics similar to the 2019-nCoV outbreak. Biosafety and Health, 2020.
    Crossref
  98. Arteaga-Livias FK, Rodriguez-Morales AJ. La comunicacion cientifica y el acceso abierto en la contencion de enfermedades: El caso del Coronavirus novel 2019 (2019-nCoV). Rev Peru Investig Salud., 2020; 4(1): 7-8.
    Crossref

Article Metrics

Article View: 12629

Share This Article

© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, sharing, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.