AN ASIGNMENT

ON

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES I (CHO 215)

WRITTEN BY

OSSAI CHIOMA

FCAI/HND/HRE/2019/2020/0113

SUBMITTED TO

DR. NWOSU E.C

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

AWARD OF HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN HOME AND RURAL
ECONOMICS, FEDERAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE ISHIAGU,
EBONYI STATE.

NOVEMBER, 2020

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Introduction

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illness such as respiratory diseases
or gastrointestinal diseases. Respiratory diseases can range from the common cold
to more severe diseases eg

 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)

 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been identified in humans
previously. Once scientists determine exactly what coronavirus it is, they give it a
name (as in the case of COVID-19, the virus causing it is SARS-CoV-2).

Coronaviruses got their name from the way that they look under a microscope. The
virus consists of a core of genetic material surrounded by an envelope with protein
spikes. This gives it the appearance of a crown. The word Corona means “crown”
in Latin.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning that the viruses are transmitted between
animals and humans. It has been determined that MERS-CoV was transmitted
from dromedary camels to humans and SARS-CoV from civet cats to humans.
The source of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is yet to be determined, but
investigations are ongoing to identify the zoonotic source to the outbreak.

Coronaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses, about 120 nanometers in diameter.

They are susceptible to mutation and recombination and are therefore highly
diverse. There are about 40 different varieties (see Appendix 1) and they mainly
infect human and non-human mammals and birds. They reside in bats and wild
birds, and can spread to other animals and hence to humans. The virus that causes
COVID-19 is thought to have originated in bats and then spread to snakes and

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pangolins and hence to humans, perhaps by contamination of meat from wild
animals, as sold in China’s meat markets.

Causative Organism

The corona-like appearance of coronaviruses is caused by so-called spike

glycoproteins, or peplomers, which are necessary for the viruses to enter host cells.
The spike has two subunits; one subunit, S1, binds to a receptor on the surface of
the host’s cell; the other subunit, S2, fuses with the cell membrane. The cell
membrane receptor for both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 is a form of
angiotensin converting enzyme, ACE-2, different from the enzyme that is inhibited
by conventional ACE-1 inhibitors, such as enalapril and ramipril.

Briefly, the S1 subunit of the spike binds to the ACE-2 enzyme on the cell
membrane surface. A host transmembrane serine protease, TMPRSS2, then
activates the spike and cleaves ACE-2. TMPRSS2 also acts on the S2 subunit,
facilitating fusion of the virus to the cell membrane. The virus then enters the cell.
Inside the cell the virus is released from endosomes by acidification or the action
of an intracellular cysteine protease, cathepsin.

Coronavirus Transmission

Evidence is still emerging, but current information is indicating that human-to-

human transmission is occurring. The routes of transmission of COVID-19 remains
unclear at present, but evidence from other coronaviruses and respiratory diseases
indicates that the disease may spread through large respiratory droplets and direct
or indirect contact with infected secretions.

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The incubation period of COVID-19 is currently understood to be between 2 to 14
days. This means that if a person remains well after 14 days after being in contact
with a person with confirmed COVID-19, they are not infected.

Literature review (June 2020) investigates and discusses the unclear issues related
to disease transmission and pathogenesis and the accuracy of diagnostic tests and
treatment modalities.

Symptoms of Corona Virus

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging
from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after
exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

 Fever or chills

 Cough

 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

 Fatigue

 Muscle or body aches

 Headache

 New loss of taste or smell

 Sore throat

 Congestion or runny nose

 Nausea or vomiting

 Diarrhea

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This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this
list as we learn more about COVID-19.

Pathology

SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the lungs, the vasculatures, and the immune
system. The initial step of the viral multiplication is the binding to the surface of
respiratory cells mediated by the spike (S) viral protein. It had been speculated that
SARS-CoV-2 likely utilize angiotensin- converting enzyme 2 (ACE2, EC
3.4.17.23) of various mammals, except murines and a few birds, such as pigeon.
The affinity of SARS-CoV-2 for ACE2 is 10–20-higher than that of SARS- CoV.

The pathogenesis involves two interconnected processes: lung inflammation and

immune deficiency, both of which are related to an improper immunologic
response and over-production of proinflammatory cytokines, Additionally, altered
redox balance in infected cells through alteration of NAD+ biosynthesis, poly
(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) function along with changeing proteasome and
mitochondrial function further exacerbate inflammation and lipid peroxidation
resulting in cell damage. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 induced activation of
apoptosis and p53 signaling pathway in lymphocytes causes lymphopenia in such
patients.

SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates neurotropic behaviour and may also cause

neurological diseases. It is reported that CoV are often found in the brain or
cerebrospinal fluid. Another feature of severe COVID-19 is coagulopathy, which is
determined by elevated plasmin(ogen) in such patients. Plasmin and other
proteases, may cleave furin site in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 extracellularly,
which increases its infectivity and virulence, and is related to hyperfibrinolysis.

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Prevention

The WHO suggests the following basic preventative measures to protect against
the new coronavirus

1. Stay up to date with the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak

through WHO updates or your local and national public health authority.

2. Perform hand hygiene frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub if your

hands are not visibly dirty or with soap and water if hands are dirty.

3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

4. Practice respiratory hygiene by coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow or

tissue and then immediately disposing of the tissue.

5. Wear a medical mask if you have respiratory symptoms and performing

hand hygiene after disposing of the mask.

6. Maintain social distancing (approximately 2 meters) from individuals with

respiratory symptoms.

7. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care.

Control

There are no vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent or treat human coronavirus

infections. Treatment is only supportive. A number of antiviral targets have been
identified such as viral proteases, polymerases, and entry proteins. Drugs are in
development which target these proteins and the different steps of viral replication.
A number of vaccines using different methods are also under development for
different human coronaviruses.

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There are no antiviral drugs to treat animal coronaviruses. Vaccines are available
for IBV, TGEV, and Canine CoV, although their effectiveness is limited. In the
case of outbreaks of highly contagious animal coronaviruses, such as PEDV,
measures such as destruction of entire herds of pigs may be used to prevent
transmission to other herds.