COVID-19: A Review on Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prophylaxis

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 21;21(14):5145. doi: 10.3390/ijms21145145.

Abstract

Coronavirus 2 (CoV) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV2) is causing a highly infectious pandemic pneumonia. Coronaviruses are positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses that infect several animal species, causing symptoms that range from those similar to the common cold to severe respiratory syndrome. The Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the SARS-CoV2 functional receptor. Measures are currently undertaken worldwide to control the infection to avoid disruption of the social and economic equilibrium, especially in countries with poor healthcare resources. In a guarded optimistic view, we hope that the undertaken preventive and treatment measures will at least contribute to contain viral diffusion, attenuate activity, or even eliminate SARS-CoV2. In this review, we discuss emerging perspectives for prevention/treatment of COVID-19 infection. In addition to vaccines under development, passive immunization is an open opportunity since patients develop neutralizing antibodies. A full spectrum of potential drugs for COVID-19 infections could in turn affect virus binding or enzymatic activities involved in viral replication and transcription. Furthermore, clinical trials are currently evaluating the safety and efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as tocilizumab. Bioinformatics may allow characterization of specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses; thus, CoV2 T cells' frequency can be correlated with the disease severity and outcome. Combinatorial antibody phage display may be empowered to identify the immune repertoire of CoV2-specific neutralizing antibodies.

Keywords: SARS-CoV2 infection; immune system; outbreak; prevention; treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / therapeutic use*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Betacoronavirus / drug effects
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • COVID-19
  • Cell Line
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Coronavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections* / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Passive / methods*
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Pandemics* / prevention & control
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2