Human Coronaviruses: General Features

Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences
2019

ARTICLE IN PRESS

Xin Li, Hayes K. H. Luk, Susanna K. P. Lau, Patrick C. Y. Woo

Abstract

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs), including HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1, are traditionally known to cause symptoms of common cold with only moderate clinical impact. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), on the other hand, have strike humans in the past two decades as highly fatal human pathogens leading to considerable mortality and economic loss. This article summaries the updates on the structure, genome organization, replication and clinical features of human coronaviruses. Recent studies also shed light upon the zoonotic origin of emerging human pathogens including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, providing insight for future surveillance and intervention.

Keywords

Epidemiology, Genome, Human coronavirus, MERS, Replication, SARS, Structure

Coronavirus, Infection and Immunity

Encyclopedia of Immunology (Second Edition)
1998, Pages 658-661

HelmutWege

Abstract

The family of Coronaviridae was defined around 1968, primarily by morphologic criteria. The virions are pleomorphic to spherical-shaped particles (120–160 nm diameter), which are surrounded by a fringe of club- or pear-shaped surface projections (12–24 nm long; Figure 1). The virus has a lipid envelope and contains a single-stranded RNA genome of positive polarity. Coronaviruses infect humans, mammals and birds. Based on molecular criteria, the toroviruses represent a second genus within this family. Furthermore, evolutionary relationships to the Arteriviridae are discussed within the concept of a ‘coronavirus-like’ superfamily.

Keywords

Coronaviridae,  virions, coronavirus, Arteriviridae