An updated review on pathogenic coronaviruses (CoVs) amid the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants: A look into the repercussions and possible solutions

SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, shares 79% and 50% of its identity with SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, respectively. It uses the same main cell attachment and entry receptor as SARS-CoV-1, which is the ACE-2 receptor. However, key residues in the receptor-binding domain of its S-protein seem to give it a stronger affinity for the receptor and a better ability to hide from the host immune system. Like SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, cytokine storms in critically ill COVID-19 patients cause ARDS, neurological pathology, multi -organ failure, and increased death. Though many issues remain, the global research effort and lessons from SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV are hopeful. The emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants raised serious concerns among the scientific community amid the emergence of other viral diseases like monkeypox and Marburg virus, which are major concerns for healthcare settings worldwide. Hence, an updated review on the comparative analysis of various coronaviruses (CoVs) has been developed, which highlights the evolution of CoVs and their repercussions. (c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/li-censes/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

SARS-CoV-2 is highly similar to SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, sharing 79% and 50% of their genetic identity, respectively. It uses the same receptor as SARS-CoV-1, but has key residues in its S-protein receptor-binding domain that give it a stronger affinity and ability to evade the host immune system. COVID-19 patients experience cytokine storms similar to those seen in SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, leading to severe symptoms and increased mortality. Global research efforts and lessons from previous coronaviruses provide hope for combating the virus. The emergence of new variants and other viral diseases raises serious concerns and further investigation is needed.