The «Covid-19» virus belongs to the family of coronaviruses, which has been given this name because of its shape, and the presence of protein spines on its surface giving it the shape of a crown. These viruses infect both animals and humans.
According to the Dubai Future Foundation’s future observatory, coronaviruses, when infecting humans, exhibit one of two behaviors. Either they affect the respiratory system and cause symptoms similar to colds or pneumonia in severe cases, or they affect the digestive system and cause diarrhea.
The "Covid-19" virus targets the respiratory system, causing symptoms similar to the common cold, but it may sometimes cause immune system malfunction, which leads to lung destruction or death.
Covid-19 does not differ from other respiratory coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS, in terms of genetic makeup, except in slight differences, but it leads to major differences in terms of function, speed of spread, and risk of infection.
How does infection occur?
Infection begins when the virus, which consists of an envelope that protects the genetic material, enters the body, attaches to the target cells, begins to inject its genetic material into it, and then this genetic material merges with the genetic material of the host cell, controls it, and drives it to produce about 30 parts of the components The virus uses it to multiply. The "Covid-19" virus prefers targeting the second type alveolar cells present in the lung, which contains a protein called "ACE2" on its outer surface. This protein plays a key role in regulating blood pressure, as the protein thorns attach to it, so it can contact the virus’s envelope With the cell membrane, a channel forms through which its genetic material passes into the cell.
How does the virus cause disease?
Most of the complications caused by infection with the "Covid-19" virus are caused by the reaction of the immune system. When the virus enters the alveolar cells of the second type, millions of immune cells move to attack the tissues that contain the virus and the infected cells, causing great lung damage.
Therefore, supporting the respiratory system for infected patients and maintaining the level of oxygenated hemoglobin is the main goal for doctors, until the lung itself is repaired and recovered. The severity of the "Covid-19" injuries varies according to the age of the injured, as studies indicate that children under the age of 10 recover easily, and most of the patients under the age of 40 recover, although it is not as easy as we see in children, but the greatest risk It is in the elderly, who are most severely injured.
The ACE2 protein plays an essential role in regulating blood pressure, and the virus uses it as a port through which it enters the cells. This explains that those who suffer from chronic high blood pressure have a severe infection.
Not only does the "Covid-19" virus break into the host's cells, it also prevents them from seeking help from the immune system, as it prevents them from secreting the interferon that the infected cells use to invoke immune cells, in addition to it hides any signs that indicate its presence, so the virus continues Its destructive activities have a period that may extend to a month without the immune system facing it.
ambiguity
There are many puzzles associated with the "Covid-19" virus in particular, and coronaviruses in general, as there are unknown unknown differences in the way each of them follows to cause the disease, in addition to the differences in the composition of proteins that make up the new viruses.
The virus hides any signs of its presence, so it will continue its destructive activities for a period that may extend up to a month without facing the immune system.