Abstract

Review Article

COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent outbreaks and prospects for assimilation of hCoV-19 into the human genome

Vinod Nikhra*

Published: 12 October, 2020 | Volume 4 - Issue 1 | Pages: 111-115

The outbreaks and resurgence: The disease which reportedly began in the Chinese city Wuhan in November-December 2019, soon spread to various parts of the world, and was named and declared a pandemic disease by WHO. While the European countries were recovering from the epidemic, the disease took hold in the USA, the South American countries, Arabian countries, and South Asian countries, predominantly affecting Brazil, Peru, Iran, and India. Presently, many European countries are witnessing a resurgence and recurrent outbreaks of COVID-19.

Spread and evolving new insights: Whereas there is workplace-related infection rise as people are returning to their offices, in other places the outbreaks are related to the people crowding and meeting care-freely and trying to resort back to their earlier way of life. The reopening of the educational facilities across the continents may make matters worse.

Impact on health and healthcare: Most cases of COVID-19 infections go unnoticed and are followed by self-recovery. But what may appear good from the clinical perspective, appears to complicate epidemiological efforts to contain the outbreak. With the evolving information about the disease, there seem to be certain possible outcomes such as control and containment, or the persistence of the disease as global endemic accompanied with outbreaks and resurgent episodes.

Gnetic factors linked to disease severity: With the COVID-19 pandemic, not all infected patients develop a severe respiratory illness. Further, there is a large variation in disease severity, which may be due to the genetic factors underlying the variable response to the virus. It is becoming clear that apart from the advanced age and pre-existing conditions, certain genetic constituent factors render some patients more vulnerable to the more severe forms of the diseases.

Integration of virus into human genome: A significant part of the human genome is derived from viruses especially the RNA viruses. In fact, about 8 percent of the human genome is made up of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which are viral gene sequences that have become a permanent part of the human lineage after they infected our ancient ancestors. With this background, a novel concept emerging that if COVID-19 persists for several generations, its genetic material is projected to be integrated or assimilated into human genome. The involved mechanisms are conceptualized through the transposons or transposable elements of the SARS-CoV-2.

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.ijcv.1001025 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

ACE-2 receptors; COVID-19 pandemic; Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) ; Genetic factors; hCoV-19; Proofreading proteins; RNA viruses; SARSCoV-2; Transposons; VIPs

References

  1. Kupferschmidt K. Can Europe tame the pandemic's next wave? Science. 2020; 369: 1151-1152. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32883840/
  2. Tang S, Mao Y, Jones RM, Tan Q, Ji JS, et al. Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2? Evidence, prevention and control. Environ Int. 2020; 106039. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7413047/
  3. Kupferschmidt K. Case clustering emerges as key pandemic puzzle. Science. 2020; 368: 808-809. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32439769/
  4. Kupferschmidt K, Cohen J. Will novel virus go pandemic or be contained? Science. 2020; 367: 610-611. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32029604/
  5. Pollitt KJG, Peccia J, Ko AI, Kaminski N, Dela Cruz CS, et al. COVID-19 vulnerability: the potential impact of genetic susceptibility and airborne transmission. Human Genomics. 2020; 14; 17. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32398162/
  6. Murray MF, Kenny EE, Ritchie MD, Rader DJ, Bale AE, et al. COVID-19 outcomes and the human genome. Genet Med. 2020; 22: 1175–1177. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32393819/
  7. Wu BB, Gu DZ, Yu JN, Yang J, Shen WQ. Association between ABO blood groups and COVID-19 infection, severity and demise: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Infect Genet Evol. 2020; 84: 104485. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32739464/
  8. Nguyen A, David JK, Maden SK, et al. Human Leukocyte Antigen Susceptibility Map for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. J Virol. 2020; 94: e00510-20. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7307149/
  9. Moelling K, Broecker F. Viruses and Evolution - Viruses First? A Personal Perspective. Front Microbiol. 2019; 10: 523. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30941110/
  10. Callif BL. Organumics: An Epigenetic Re-framing of Life, Consciousness and Evolution. Kindle Edition, 2019 ASIN: B07ZMKMVSW, Publisher: S. Woodhouse Books, Everything Goes Media LLC.
  11. Tang W, Mun S, Joshi A, Han K, Liang P, et al. Mobile elements contribute to the uniqueness of human genome with 15,000 human-specific insertions and 14 Mbp sequence increase. DNA Res. 2018; 25: 5: 521-533. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30052927/
  12. Enard D, Petrov DA. Ancient RNA virus epidemics through the lens of recent adaptation in human genomes. 2020.
  13. Enard D, Cai L, Gwennap C, Petrov DA. Viruses are a dominant driver of protein adaptation in mammals. ELife. 2016; 5: e12469. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27187613/
  14. Rosenberg NA, Kang TL. Genetic Diversity and Societally Important Disparities. Genetics. 2015; 201: 1–12. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26354973/
  15. Carrasco-Hernandez R, Jácome R, Vidal YL, de León SP. Are RNA Viruses Candidate Agents for the Next Global Pandemic? A Review. ILAR J. 2017; 58: 343–358. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28985316/
  16. Robson F, Khan KS, Le TK, et al. Coronavirus RNA Proofreading: Molecular Basis and Therapeutic Targeting. Molecular Cell. 2020; 79: 710-727.
  17. Pérez-Losada M, Arenas M, Galáne JC, Bracho MA, Hillung J, et al. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) for the analysis of viral populations. Infect Genet Evol. 2020; 80: 104208. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32001386/

Figures:

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 1

Figure 3

Figure 1

Figure 4

Similar Articles

Recently Viewed

  • Synthesis of Carbon Nano Fiber from Organic Waste and Activation of its Surface Area
    Himanshu Narayan*, Brijesh Gaud, Amrita Singh and Sandesh Jaybhaye Himanshu Narayan*,Brijesh Gaud,Amrita Singh,Sandesh Jaybhaye. Synthesis of Carbon Nano Fiber from Organic Waste and Activation of its Surface Area. Int J Phys Res Appl. 2019: doi: 10.29328/journal.ijpra.1001017; 2: 056-059
  • Obesity Surgery in Spain
    Aniceto Baltasar* Aniceto Baltasar*. Obesity Surgery in Spain. New Insights Obes Gene Beyond. 2020: doi: 10.29328/journal.niogb.1001013; 4: 013-021
  • Tamsulosin and Dementia in old age: Is there any relationship?
    Irami Araújo-Filho*, Rebecca Renata Lapenda do Monte, Karina de Andrade Vidal Costa and Amália Cinthia Meneses Rêgo Irami Araújo-Filho*,Rebecca Renata Lapenda do Monte,Karina de Andrade Vidal Costa,Amália Cinthia Meneses Rêgo. Tamsulosin and Dementia in old age: Is there any relationship?. J Neurosci Neurol Disord. 2019: doi: 10.29328/journal.jnnd.1001025; 3: 145-147
  • Case Report: Intussusception in an Infant with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection and Post-Operative Wound Dehiscence
    Lamin Makalo*, Orlianys Ruiz Perez, Benjamin Martin, Cherno S Jallow, Momodou Lamin Jobarteh, Alagie Baldeh, Abdul Malik Fye, Fatoumatta Jitteh and Isatou Bah Lamin Makalo*,Orlianys Ruiz Perez,Benjamin Martin,Cherno S Jallow,Momodou Lamin Jobarteh,Alagie Baldeh,Abdul Malik Fye,Fatoumatta Jitteh,Isatou Bah. Case Report: Intussusception in an Infant with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection and Post-Operative Wound Dehiscence. J Community Med Health Solut. 2025: doi: 10.29328/journal.jcmhs.1001051; 6: 001-004
  • The prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease among type 2 diabetes mellitus follow-up patients at Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, Central Ethiopia
    Getaneh Baye Mulu, Worku Misganew Kebede, Fetene Nigussie Tarekegn, Abayneh Shewangzaw Engida, Migbaru Endawoke Tiruye, Mulat Mossie Menalu, Yalew Mossie, Wubshet Teshome and Bantalem Tilaye Atinafu* Getaneh Baye Mulu,Worku Misganew Kebede,Fetene Nigussie Tarekegn,Abayneh Shewangzaw Engida,Migbaru Endawoke Tiruye,Mulat Mossie Menalu,Yalew Mossie,Wubshet Teshome,Bantalem Tilaye Atinafu*. The prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease among type 2 diabetes mellitus follow-up patients at Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, Central Ethiopia. J Clini Nephrol. 2023: doi: 10.29328/journal.jcn.1001104; 7: 025-031

Read More

Most Viewed

Read More

Help ?