COVID 19: A WRATH OF NATURE (CLINICAL PRESENTATION)

Type: E-POSTER

Author: Mr. Ganesh waghule.

Covid-19: 

The first human cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by  the novel corona virus causing COVID-19, subsequently named SARS-CoV-2 were first reported by officials in Wuhan City,  China, in December 2019. All available evidence for COVID-19 suggests that SARS-CoV-2 has a zoonotic source. COVID-19 is a single, positive-stranded RNA virus enveloped in a lipid bilayer.

TRANSMISSION:

Corona virus infections can be transmitted through droplets  of different sizes: when the droplet particles are >5-10 μm in  diameter they are referred to as respiratory droplets, Droplet transmission occurs when a person is in in close contact (within 1 m)  with someone who has respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing or  sneezing) and is therefore at risk of having his/her mucosa (mouth and nose) or conjunctiva (eyes) exposed to potentially  infective respiratory droplets.

REPURPOSING OF APPROVED DRUGS :

Covid-19 has now been declared as pandemic and new treatments are immediately required as we entered beyond containment  phase. Drug repositioning is well known as drug repurposing, is the concept of identifying therapeutically effective drugs from the list of existing drug molecules. Broad-spectrum antiviral membrane fusion inhibitors like 

  • Ribavirin and Umifenovir (ClinicalTrials.gov ID:  NCT04255017) 
  • Ivermectin an antiparasitic is recently repurposed for COVID-19 therapy 
  • Hydroxychloroquine is licensed to use for prophylaxis and treatment of malaria but this drug showed antiviral  activity in vitro against coronaviruses distinctively on SARS-CoV-2 (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04261517)  
  • In March, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC) issued a suggestion to physicians  regarding Remdesivir, a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04252664) It was found that out of the 61 drug candidates, 37 molecules were found interacted with s2 protein structures of COVID-19. HIV protease inhibitors and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors showed promising features of  binding to COVID-19 enzyme. 
  • Methisazone (protein synthesis inhibitor), CGP42112A (AT2 receptor agonist) and ABT450 (non-structural protein  3-4A inhibitor) may become useful treatment against COVID-19.

Citation: NA