Virus: Novel Coronavirus
The coronaviruses are members of a family of large, single-stranded RNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm of animal
host cells. SARS-CoV is a type of coronavirus, which has been identified in patients with SARS; thus this novel coronavirus
might have caused SARS.
To prove this hypothesis, further specimens from patients with probable and suspected SARS to healthy contacts of patients
affected by SARS were tested.
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In Hanoi, Vietnam, records have shown that although there are high numbers of patients with probable cases, there are also
high numbers of healthy contacts of patients affected by the same outbreak. Therefore, this provides supporting evidence of
an association between the novel coronavirus and the disease.
2.1.1
A civet cat in a cage (photo provided by Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 2004).
There has been speculation that the novel coronavirus originated from palm civets, a cat-like mammal closely related to the
mongoose, in Guangdong (China). These palm civets are a delicacy in Guangdong where people believe that humans became
infected by slaughtering the animals rather than consuming the infected meat.
Recently, the SARS outbreak has made a comeback, and there is speculation that this might be a different form of the
coronavirus. Yet, in the past, recombinations of viruses of different groups have never occurred; therefore, a recombination
between SARS virus and HCoV is not likely.
- SARS Quiz
In this quiz you will find questions based on the information available in Basic Guide, Virus and
Prevention.
- Crossword puzzle 2: Virus
Online crossword puzzle based on Virus.
- SARS Quest - Averting An Outbreak
In this short Flash game, you will be taking on the role of the Health Minister of the imaginary country of Asitwon.
Your aim is to use all necessary means to prevent a SARS outbreak in the country.
- Christian Drosten, M.D., etc. Indentification of a Novel Coronavirus in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome. (2003, April 10). Retrieved 2003 from CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtm l/mm5211a5.htm
- Update: Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - Worldwide, 2003. MMWR 2003; (2003). 52:241-248.
Retrieved from CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtm l/mm5212a1.htm
- Mason, Bob; Dr. Chan, JKC; Dr. Lee, K; Dr. Ng, WF. Pathology of SARS, Hong Kong. Eelab. (2003). Retrieved 2003
from:
http://www.eelab.com/
- Nelson Lee, M.D., etc. Major Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hong Kong. (2003, May 9).
Retrieved 2003 from The New England Journal of Medicine:
http://www.nejm.org/
- Thomas G. Ksiazek, etc. A Novel Coronavirus Associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. (2003, April
24). Retrieved 2003 from The New England Journal of Medicine:
http://www.nejm.org/
- Anand, K., etc. Coronavirus Main Proteinese (3Clopro) Structure: Basis for Design of Anti-SARS Drugs. Science
pp.1763. (2003, May 12). Retrieved 2003 from PDB:
http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/cgi/explore.cgi?pid=89971077996415&page=0&pdbId=1P9U
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