What are they?

Coronaviruses are worldwide in distribution, highly infectious, and extremely difficult to control because they have extensive genetic diversity and a high mutation rate.

They can cause respiratory, enteric, and in some cases hepatic and neurological diseases in a wide variety of animals and humans.

The Virus

Coronaviruses are in the family Coronaviridae, genus coronavirus. They are enveloped viruses that have the largest (~28 to 30Kb) single stranded positive sense RNA genome known.

Why study coronaviruses?

An enormous gene pool for coronaviruses exists among animals, which has the capability to undergo genetic recombination. It is not surprising that the SARS-CoV emerged, since intensive animal agriculture practices, and cultural habits and customs continually put humans in close contact with animals.

The abrupt emergence of the SARS-CoV in Guangdong Province, southern China in 2002 quickly became worldwide in distribution and had severe impact on public health, travel, and economic trade. It is not unreasonable to believe that another coronavirus pandemic could occur in the future.

Understanding mutation rates and evolutionary trends is essential for predicting, which new coronavirus strains could emerge and preventing them from becoming widespread.