Possible cure for coronavirus found

A new coronavirus spreading in Chinamay not be as dangerous as everyone thinks. A study published in the journal Nature claims that the virus is very similar to its predecessor, SARS, which, like the new strain of the virus, came from bats. At the same time, despite the high level of contagiousness (more than 17,000 people were infected with the coronavirus in a month), the coronavirus from the Chinese city of Wuhan does less harm to human health than SARS, whose explosion occurred at the beginning of the 21st century. Due to almost 80% of the genetic similarities between viruses, scientists hope to develop a universal vaccine based on data from the closely related type of coronaviruses. In this case, perhaps it is too early for mankind to panic?

A new type of coronavirus is 80% similar to SARS, successfully defeated back in 2003

Can a coronavirus infection be cured?

Outbreak of general hysteria over coronavirusfrom Wuhan became one of the most significant events of the beginning of 2020. At the same time, as sciencealert.com reports, the new virus is a modified version of SARS, which, although it spreads faster on the planet, is much easier to carry than its predecessor. Yang Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading in the UK, claims that the similarities between the viruses give scientists hope for an early universal vaccine, and the tried-and-true treatment methods developed at the time for SARS should work in the fight against the virus from the Chinese city of Wuhan .

The scientist came to this encouraging conclusion.after analyzing the genetic properties of both viruses. So, coronaviruses are mostly zoonotic diseases, that is, they can be transmitted to humans from animals. Cases with SARS and the new 2019-nCoV also have one common source - the bats that were the original hosts of the virus. It is known that during the period from November 2002 to July 2003, an outbreak of SARS claimed the lives of 774 people and infected 8098 people from 29 countries. The high infectivity of coronavirus infection is associated with the round shape of the virus itself. The unique membrane of this microorganism is studded with proteins in the form of spikes, which help it to securely attach to the host cell.

Coronavirus shell is completely covered with special spikes for better connection with the host cell

Despite the experiments carried out in relation to2019-nCoV, the use of antibodies to SARS currently remains only a hypothesis requiring more detailed study. Be that as it may, the study authors proposed two other possible treatments for the new coronavirus. One of the potential treatment methods may be the use of antibody proteins of those patients who have already been able to independently recover from the infection. Another way to recover may be to use antibodies produced by the horses immune system that are highly resistant to coronaviruses.

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Despite the fact that the source of the virus has long beenfound, experts are still racking their brains over who became the intermediate host of the virus on the way to getting into the human body. Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, believes the genetic information of the new coronavirus indicates pigs and civet, ermine-like mammals that served as an intermediate species for SARS. In addition, direct transmission of the virus from bats to humans is also possible. Be that as it may, the truth about exactly where the new type of coronavirus came from can only be obtained by analyzing DNA samples from animals sold in the Wuhan market, as indicated by the main sources of information in this region.