Coronavirus is a virus, but it is not like any other virus we know of. It’s the only one that triggers severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and there’s still a lot we don’t know about it. Coronavirus was named in 1944 after its “crown-like” appearance of a spike on an electron microscope.
A new study of a viral epidemic that began in the Middle East two thousand years ago has given researchers the most detailed picture yet of a historic outbreak caused by a coronavirus.
The virus that caused this ancient outbreak is not the same coronavirus that's spreading between humans now, researchers report today (Jan. 31) in the journal mBio. But the new findings hint at how ancient humans handled an outbreak of disease, and could provide some lessons for modern health officials.
"One of the things that made this particular epidemic unique was its size," said Hendrik Poinar, an evolutionary geneticist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, who wasn't involved in the new study. "It may very well be that this virus was in some way adapting to humans as it spread.
The Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that includes the viruses that cause the common cold and SARS. They have icosahedral and round geometries, and range in size from 26 to 34 nm.The family Coronaviridae contains three genera Alphacoronavirus , Betacoronavirus and Gammacoronavirus .
Covid virus is a member of the Rubeola genus of the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses. It is also known as B19 virus as it was the 19th virus to be discovered. Due to its association with a range of human diseases, it is considered to be an emerging pathogen.
This virus is the cause of several human diseases including:
- Acute erythema infectiosum (AES)
- Erythema infectiosum-like illness
- Roseola infantum (previously known as exanthem subitum)
- Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum)
- Haemophilus infections.
Covidaviruses belong to the family paramyxoviridae, there are two genera namely paramyxovirus and rubeolavirus.
The Covid vaccine is made up of two components. The first component is the killed virus, and the other component is the adjuvant ingredient. The adjuvant ingredient helps increase the body's resistance to the virus.
How was Covid created?
The Covid vaccine was created by using a process called reverse genetics. The method of reverse genetics involved using a genetically engineered (recombinant) virus to introduce foreign DNA into another virus. This foreign DNA was taken from another virus that has been deemed non-pathogenic, thus ensuring that there would be minimal risk of harmful side effects. The transformed virus was then used to create a vaccine that would generate antibodies against certain strains of the retrovirus HIV-1.
The Covid vaccine is one of several vaccines in development for rotavirus, which is currently the leading cause of diarrhea in babies worldwide.
Coviracil (Covid) is a vaccine for smallpox containing live vaccinia virus and is made in Belgium. The vaccinia virus contains one small portion of cowpox virus, and is used to create immunity against smallpox virus.