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Structure of SARS-CoV-2 and treatment of COVID-19

CHEN Hai-Xia, CHEN Zhi-Hua, SHEN Hua-Hao^*

Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China

Abstract

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of coronavirus pneumonia, which is caused by infection of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The virus infects lung cells by binding angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of cell surface, which leads to leukocyte infiltration, increased permeability of blood vessels and alveolar walls, and decreased surfactant in the lung, causing respiratory symptoms. The aggravation of local inflammation causes cytokine storm, resulting in systemic inflammatory response syndrome. In December 2019, a number of new pneumonia cases were reported by Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, after then a novel coronavirus was isolated and identified as SARS-CoV-2. To the date of Sep. 13th, 2020, COVID-19 is affecting 216 countries or regions, causing 28 637 952 cases, 917 417 deaths, and the mortality rate is 3.20%. This review will summarize the structure of SARS-CoV-2 and the pharmaceutical treatment of COVID-19, and their potential relationships.

Key words: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; clinical diagnosis and treatment

Received: 2020-04-23　　Accepted: 2020-09-16

Corresponding author: 沈华浩　　E-mail: huahaoshen@zju.edu.cn

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2020.0070

Citing This Article：

CHEN Hai-Xia, CHEN Zhi-Hua, SHEN Hua-Hao. Structure of SARS-CoV-2 and treatment of COVID-19. Acta Physiol Sin 2020; 72 (5): 617-630 (in Chinese with English abstract).