Why are few among many of the coronavirus strains responsible for the deadly respiratory syndrome like recent Wuhan nCoV outbreak, while some of this group have an association with the common cold, a relatively mild infection mostly helps to build immunity?
My question is from the perspective of virulence and pathomechanism (Wuhan nCoV vs common cold-causing coronavirus)
It largely depends on tthe receptor for cell entry. In the case of 2019-nCoV ist is apparently the ACE2 receptor.
The most important factor is their ability to expand their genetic diversity. This is mostly achieved through infecting peridomestic animals, which serve as intermediate hosts, nurturing recombination and mutation events. This will enable them to use a certain receptor to infect the cells. While SARS-CoV infects type 2 pneumocytes and ciliated bronchial epithelial cells utilizing angiotensin
converting enzyme 2 as a receptor, MERS-CoV exploits dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), a transmembrane glycoprotein, to infect type 2 pneumocytes and unciliated bronchial epithelial cells. It has not yet been confirmed, but on the wake of phylogenetic similarities between 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV according to whole-genome sequencing studies, it is postulated that the novel coronavirus might use angiotensin converting enzyme 2 as a receptor similar to SARS-CoV. Their ability to cause cytopathic changes is another important factor.
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Article The Novel Coronavirus: A Bird’s Eye View
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