LIVING WITH CORONA
Dr.VINOD KHANNA
STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL VIRUS: All viruses contain nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA (but not both), and a protein coating, that encases the nucleic acid. Some viruses are also enclosed by an envelope of fat and protein molecules. The tiny tagalongs aren’t exactly alive by most definitions, but they’re not really showing any form of life either. They’ve flourished and diversified for billions of years and perhaps even had a hard or a soft protein coating in helping the first complex cellular life come to be in contact.
Due to their simple structure, viruses cannot move or even reproduce without the help of an unwitting host cell. But when it finds a host, a virus can multiply and spread rapidly.
HOSTS: To identify the correct host, viruses have evolved receptors “tagalongs”, on their surfaces that match up with those of their ideal target cell, letting the virus to get its genetic material inside and hijack its host’s cellular machinery to help it reproduce by multiplying the virus’ genetic material and proteins. Using that strategy, the minute marauders have flourished and evolved in step with their hosts. .
SYMPTOMS: The viral army can cause symptoms as mild as a cough or as deadly as internal bleeding. Some viruses may even cause the runaway cellular growth that is the root of cancer, as is thought to be the case with human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.
CORONA VIRUSES: belong to the Coronaviridae family in the Nidovirales order which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19 which is an infectious . This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting many countries globally.
A TYPICAL CORONA VIRUS represents crown-like spikes on the outer surface of the virus; thus, it was named as a coronavirus. They are minute in size (65–125 nm in diameter) and contain a single-stranded RNA as a nucleic material, size ranging from 26 to 32kbs in length.
GENOME: The genome of an organism is the whole of its hereditary information encoded in its DNA (or, for some viruses, RNA). This includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA. The genome of a haploid chromosome set is merely a sample of the total genetic variation of a species. Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, these viruses cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses include some cases of the common cold (which is caused also by certain other viruses, predominantly rhinoviruses), while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Symptoms in other species vary: in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease, while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea. There are as yet no vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent or treat human coronavirus infections
SPREAD OF CORONA: How do viruses spread? Inside their cellular hosts, viruses can create an enormous number of copies and spread the infection to other cells. For example, if you get the flu, your body will be riddled with some hundred trillion viruses in just a few days — more than 10,000 times the number of people on Earth.
The viruses are mostly deadlier in their original form, but they can easily mutate, depending on various circumstances and the mutated viruses are more fatal, as for any virus their needs to be a specific vaccine developed and it takes years of the research to identify the virus and work on the mutated virus and in meantime other mutations may also occur, making it a vicious chain, difficult for the scientists
MUTATION: A “mutation is a change” that occurs in our DNA sequence, either due to mistakes when the DNA is copied or as the result of environmental factors such as UV light and cigarette smoking or and radiation or when a DNA gene is damaged or changed in such a way as to alter the genetic message carried by that gene. A Mutagen is an agent of substance that can bring about a permanent alteration to the physical composition of a DNA gene such that the genetic message is changed. Over a lifetime our DNA can undergo changes or ‘mutations?’ in the sequence of bases (A, C, G and T,). This results in changes in the proteins that are made. This can be a bad or a good thing. Mutations can occur during DNA replication if errors are made and not corrected in time. Mutations can also occur as a result of exposure to environmental factors such as smoking, sunlight. Often cells can recognize any potentially mutation-causing damage and repair it before it becomes a fixed mutation. Do mutations contribute to genetic variation? within species?. Mutations can also be inherited, particularly if they have a positive effect.
The NEW CORONA virus is an RNA virus: a collection of genetic material packed inside a protein shell.RNA viruses, like the flu and measles, are more prone to changes and mutations compared with DNA viruses, such as herpes, smallpox, and human papillomavirus (HPV). As the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 makes its way around the world, there’s been an uptick in predictions that the virus will mutate into something deadlier and become an even scarier threat to humanity.
ARE ANTIBIOTICS EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING OR TREATING COVID-19? No. Antibiotics do not work against viruses; they only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work. Antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment of COVID-19. In hospitals, physicians will sometimes use antibiotics to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections which can be a complication of COVID-19 in severely ill patients. They should only be used as directed by a physician to treat a bacterial infection.
SARS CoV is a stable virus that may potentially be transmitted by indirect contact or fomites. These results may indicate that contaminated surfaces may play a major role in the transmission of infection in the hospital and the community and the studies indicate that SCoV is relatively more stable than other human coronaviruses. From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
SEASONAL AND TEMPERATURE PREVALENCE: whether the coronavirus that’s quickly spreading around the world will follow the flu season and subside with spring’s arrival is unsatisfying uncertain, and many scientists say it’s too soon to know how the dangerous virus will behave in warmer weather.
From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in all areas, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. T Cold weather and snow cannot kill the new coronavirus.
There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill new coronavirus or other diseases. Current evidence on other coronavirus strains shows that while coronaviruses appear to be stable at low and freezing temperatures for a certain period, food hygiene and good food safety practices can prevent their transmission through food.
PREVENTIONS:
To prevent infection and to slow transmission of COVID-19, do the following,
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub., Maintain at least one-meter distance between you and people coughing or sneezing, Avoid touching your face, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home if you feel unwell, Refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs, Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.
Till the vaccines are discovered the Corona is not going to be controlled and the peoples on the planet earth have to learn to live with Corona, defeating it by observing the concept of social distancing and observing the points noted above.
Disclaimer: The author is an Entomologist and the views expressed are exclusively compilations from various literature and newspapers.
