“Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses that can be found in both animals and humans”), “explains the World Health Organization (WHO).
From this organism they also indicate that some infect the human being and it is known that they can cause various conditions, “from the common cold to more serious diseases such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS ) ”, They assert.
THE LYMPHOCYTES “B” AND “T”.
The new coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, 2019-nCoV or Wuhan coronavirus, caused the first human infections in late 2019.
Specifically, on December 8, symptoms were first recorded in a patient in Wuhan, the capital of the Chinese province of Hubei.
Since then, another 27 cases related to this cause have been collected, of which the Wuhan Municipal Health and Health Commission reported on December 31.
“All these cases were related to a market of fish, shellfish and live animals in this city, from which this virus seems to have emanated,” says Francisco Gallardo Chamizo, a Doctor of Biomedical Research belonging to the Spanish Armed Forces Military Health Corps.
The specialist clarifies that Wuhan coronavirus is a zoonotic disease, that is, it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
“Continuous investigations are being carried out and the primary source of this coronavirus has not yet been identified with certainty but, due to phylogenetic data, the most likely origin is the bat,” he says.
It also indicates that infection among humans could occur through the respiratory secretions of an infected person when they come into contact with the mucous membranes of another person’s mouth and nose.
“The small drops that are expelled, for example, when coughing or sneezing can impregnate objects or their own hands, so that the virus could be transmitted with a handshake or by touching contaminated objects such as doorknobs, mobile phones, etc.” the specialist.
“Although, for the moment, we only have preliminary data, it seems that the incubation period, that is, the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms, is about 5 days, although it can range between 2 and 14 days, ”he says.
But what happens in our body when the virus gets into it?
Dr. Gallardo explains that, when a virus enters the body, “what it does is invade cells to survive and replicate, thus hiding from the immune system, our defenses.”
However, “our cells use signals to communicate to the outside what is happening inside them. These signals are transmitted by molecules called MHC (major histocompatibility complexes), ”says the doctor.
He also adds that MHCs “are found on the cell surface and, through them, it is possible to show virus fragments to cells of our immune system, such as T lymphocytes, that circulate throughout the body in search of disease-causing agents “He exposes.
Dr. Gallardo points out that when T lymphocytes recognize an infected cell through MHCs, they are capable of destroying it thanks to a series of cytotoxicity mechanisms.
“In addition, T lymphocytes produce an infection alert signal for the entire body, which spreads and makes virus removal possible,” he says.
AGE AND CHRONIC DISEASES.
Normally, when a virus causes an infection, our body remembers it thanks to a joint action between B and T lymphocytes, so that if, in the future, there is a new exposure to that pathogen, it would fight it faster and effective. This is known as immunological memory.
“However, it has not yet given time to conclude if such memory exists for Wuhan’s coronavirus and if, if it exists, it would be short or long term,” he says.
The prognosis of Wuhan coronavirus infection depends on several factors that are still being studied.
“Some of the most important are the age and coexistence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, Parkinson’s or coronary artery diseases, which have been linked to a higher mortality rate,” he describes.
In addition, Dr. Gallardo comments that the action of our immune system can be reinforced through the admission and treatment of infected patients.
“Although there is no specific treatment against Wuhan’s coronavirus, different antivirals are currently being implemented, through which an improvement in the prognosis of those infected has been achieved. Likewise, treatments for symptom control have also produced a significant improvement in the cure rate, ”he says.
Apart from the treatments provided to those affected, “there is hope in different vaccines that are currently being tested from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and promoted through the Coalition for Innovation in the Preparation of Epidemics (CEPI ) ”, Concludes the doctor.
– .
