Is this the first attack on humanity
Disclaimer - I am no virologist nor a medical practitioner, this blog is based on me tracking the beginnings of the virus we now call as CORONA and the world is under attack by this virus. I am not going to take you back to 1900s but will be looking at 2000s only.
When did we start messing with viruses?
Humans first found that there are living organism smaller than bacteria in 1892, virus was an accidental discovery while working on diseased tobacco plants. But, they were considered as fluid till 1926, when they were termed as 'Obligated Parasites'. However, the study of the viruses could be done after the invention of electron microscope in 1931. Discovery of virus birth to VIROLOGY.
The first ever genetically modified virus was designed in 2002 for medical purposes. However the experiments go on. Where there are protagonists there are also antagonists.
If medicines can be done so can weapons of mass distractions. Humans, are very greedy, robust, ever thinking and never deciding breed.
Respiratory Related break-outs in 21st century
Since the dawn on 21st century, humanity has seen few outbreaks, each virus better than the previous and more scary. With every break-out the virus gets stronger and the fight goes for longer than previous with more lives lost each time.
So what did we have to deal since the end of 1999,
- SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) - 2002
- MERS coronoavirus (MERS-CoV) - 2012
- COVID 19 (SARS-CoV-2) - 2019
Break Down of the Journey
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Thought to be an animal virus, believed to be from bats then to other animals (civet cats), first human infection was detected in Guangdong province of Southern China in 2002.
Incubation period for SARS is 4-6 days, in some cases the incubation period may be as short as 1 day or as long as 14 days.
Symptoms are not limited to fever, dry cough, headache, muscle aches and difficulty in breathing leading to death due to acute respiratory distress.
Mode of transmission seems to be contact of the mucous membranes with respiratory droplets or fomites. While diarrhea is common in people with SARS, the fecal–oral route does not appear to be a common mode of transmission. A chest X-ray must be positive for a typical pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome.
By the time the epidemic was termed as controlled, it had devoured 813 lives at a rate of 9.6% of 8437 cases globally.
Lapses by CCP
The first case was reported in November 2002, however, China did not announce the outbreak till February 2003. The outbreak was first identified by Global Public Health Intelligence Network an electronic warning system that is in use by WHO in Canada, which does Internet media monitoring and analysis.
SARS Conspiracy
With WHO announcing the outbreak of SARS, study on the virus started, couple of Russian scientists claimed that the SARS virus was synthesis of measles and mumps. However, measles and mumps are different groups and was synthesized in a laboratory.
Further studies revealed that the SARS was due to Corona virus, whereas, measles and mumps are paramyxoviruses. The structure of these types of viruses are different, hence making it implausible to synthesize Corona from paramyxoviruses.
Source of SARS virus was determined, but based on circumstantial evidences, it was concluded that SARS was transmitted from Civet Cats (Asian palm cats).
A Chinese lawyer in October 2003, claimed that the SARS virus was bio-weapon developed by US targeting Chinese nationals.
It is still not clear as to where did SARS virus come from, though scientist from China claims that the anal swabs of bats carry SARS virus.
Further studies revealed that the SARS was due to Corona virus, whereas, measles and mumps are paramyxoviruses. The structure of these types of viruses are different, hence making it implausible to synthesize Corona from paramyxoviruses.
Source of SARS virus was determined, but based on circumstantial evidences, it was concluded that SARS was transmitted from Civet Cats (Asian palm cats).
A Chinese lawyer in October 2003, claimed that the SARS virus was bio-weapon developed by US targeting Chinese nationals.
It is still not clear as to where did SARS virus come from, though scientist from China claims that the anal swabs of bats carry SARS virus.
MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome)
MERS-Cov is considered as a 'zoonotic virus' which means that it is family of virus that would transmit between animals and humans. It is believed that the virus may have originated in bats and then transmitted to camels. The first human infection was reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Incubation period for MERS is estimated to be 5.5 days, in some cases the symptoms may show up between 2 to 14 days of the infection.
Symptoms is not limited to fever, cough and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
MERS-CoV, like any other corona viruses is believed to be spreading through infected person's respiratory secretion, such as coughing. However, the mode of transmission is not yet confirmed and the research is still on. However, it is confirmed that anybody in taking care or living with an infected person. The outbreak or most of the infections of MERS were found to dominant in Arabian Peninsula.
As swiftly the MERS spread, it died out by itself but occasionally the infection does pop-up and still takes lives, as per WHO so far we have 2494 confirmed infections and 858 lives have been lost.
MERS is a seasonal infection and keeps coming up in the Arabian Peninsula, apart from the Peninsula, infections were and are reported from Republic of Korea, believed to carried by a traveler from the Arabian Peninsula.
As swiftly the MERS spread, it died out by itself but occasionally the infection does pop-up and still takes lives, as per WHO so far we have 2494 confirmed infections and 858 lives have been lost.
MERS is a seasonal infection and keeps coming up in the Arabian Peninsula, apart from the Peninsula, infections were and are reported from Republic of Korea, believed to carried by a traveler from the Arabian Peninsula.
Lapses in containing MERS
Well, by isolating the MERS-Cov, it has been confirmed that the virus is mostly found in camels, goats and also in a bat family found in Hong Kong area. It is being claimed that the infection may have moved from bats to camels and goats. However, how did the virus jump to infecting humans is still not confirmed as the animal reservoir and intermediate animal for MERS is not found.
As of today (15/Apr/2020) there is no confirmed vaccine for the MERS, however, it is claimed that the SARS vaccine is effective in MERS as well.
It is believed that the RBD in the MERS-CoV spike protein is therefore an important target for developing MERS vaccines. The theory is based on how the MERS infiltrates the human cell and works is similar to that of the SARS infection and the S-protein similarity between the two viruses.
Conspiracy around MERS-CoV
Australian Infectious diseases epidemiologist Professor Raina MacIntyre from The School of Public Health And Community Medicine at UNSW, analysed the epidemiologic features of MERS-Cov compared to SARS and shows that it is very different to SARS in a new study.
MERS is much weaker than SARS in infecting humans, this is confirmed as the HAJJ gathering during the breakout did not move the outbreak to epidemic. However, MERS being a weak respiratory infectious virus has now outlived the SARS infection by almost 3 times and still continues.
Professor MacIntyre, has documented his observation of MERS-CoV to an epidemic pattern and two sporadic patterns - an animal source or deliberate source. The pattern was more consistent with sporadic source, with some weight-age towards deliberate release than an animal source, both are possible.
As there is no mediating animal for the transmission, considering the involvement of bats with the virus, the similarity between SARS and MERS. There is no way to confirm if the MERS was natural occurrence or is it a deliberate release.
The trail/investigation has gone cold due to the out break of Covid-19.
Covid 19 [SARS-CoV-2]
I am not going to talk about COVID-19, media houses are educating you on the same and some more as well.
But, I would put 3 images for SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 life cycle,
The 3 viruses have a similar way of getting into the patients cell, hijack and then get to work of multiplying itself.
But, I would put 3 images for SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 life cycle,
 |
| SARS-CoV |
 |
| MERS-CoV |
 |
| SARS-CoV-2 |
Conclusion
In my opinion it looks like the 3 infections (SARS, MERS & Covid19) are some how related to each other. The structure of the virus, the genome and mode of transmission is almost the same, more closely related are SARS-CoV and SARS-Cov-2 (Covid 19).
However, the jinx in SARS was that it was not immune to medicine developed to break its S-protein and avoid the virus from connecting to the ACE-2 then make its way into human cell and then get to work. Overall, the way I understand, it is a virus that is devastating and spreads easily, but not a long term infection or hazard as the vaccines are effective and the infection is now technically KILLED.
MERS, on the other hand has the same design/affects of SARS, but the infection (spread) is slow but devastating in the long run as the virus is immune to vaccines, vaccines designed on the footprint of the SARS learning. The infection did break out but the measures taken to avoid such instances are easy. MERS was found in the medical facility surfaces, from where the medical personal were infected and then any one else coming in contact with the surface or in contact with vomit or spit of an infected person, also, in case of contact with urine and feces of an infected person.
SARS-CoV-2, compared to the other 2 respiratory virus in 21st century, is easy to spread and an immune virus as well. There have been different types of vaccines that are tried, vaccines related to AIDS, Malaria and common influenza. I do get my head around the vaccines used for influenza and malaria as these are used to treat blocked respiratory system and fever. But the use of retro-viral medicine the same that is used in treating 'Acute retro-viral syndrome' or 'primary HIV infection', is confusing, how do I know, we have reports coming out of Rajasthan (India) that some success was seen against Covid-19 using the retro-viral vaccine in the initial days of breakout in India.
I did come across some numbers and charts denoting the virus break down on the components, I have not included it here as I am not sure what means what in the chart.
To close this blog, I do have a lot of questions that still keep me thinking, some of them are
- Was SARS-Cov the first version of the Covid 19 with no defense against vaccines?
- Was MERS-Cov a toned down model of SARS virus to test the longevity of the infection and designed to get into the epidemic or pandemic stage?
- Is the Covid 19 an evil child of SARS, MERS and also AIDS (for immune)?
- How did the features missing in the previous viruses develop in the newer one?
- Are the viruses evolving by themselves? If yes, then why don't we see an transmitting animal with the same virus but only a version of the virus?
- Or is that someone somewhere is playing with virus genes and using the population as guinea pig to test the effectiveness of the new weapon?
- Is this the final chapter for homo sapiens?
If you have come till here, thank you for taking time out. Your feedback or opinion is much appreciated. Please leave a comment on your take of this blog and the views of this blog.
A view through BLUE-ICE
Information pooled in from different open source material.
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