RESPIRATORY SYSTEM and SARS-COV-2

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM and SARS-COV-2

                                          
Coronaviruses are highly species specific. Most animal coronaviruses tend to epithelial cells in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract of animals. Coronavirus infections in human is usually limited to the upper respiratory tract. With a new mutation, coronavirus has now become an important pandemic that gripped the entire world. Coronavirus infection often begins in the nasopharynx and destroys the olfactory epithelium. (1)
The virus infects cells along your airways by attaching to ACE2 and other molecules on those cell. The virus uses ACE2 as a door to get inside of the cells and make more coppies of itself. The virus and your immune system's reaction to it, inflammation, damages the air sacks, causing them to scar and stiffen or fill with fluid. Ths blocks some oxygen from passing from your lungs into your bloodstream. As blood oxygen levels fall, you may fell short of breath. In severe cases, a ventilator or other support may be needed. Inflammation helps our bodies fight infection.Researchers think this may be due to the fact that the virus latches on to the ACE2 molecule in order to get into cells. ACE2 helps reduce inflammation, and this effect is lost when the virus occupies it. The result is that inflammation can go awry. People with chronic lung, hearth or blood diseases may be higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.(2)

Pathobiological consequences of alveolar epithelial injury by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) infection.(3)

Pathobiological consequences of vascular endothelial injury by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) infection. (3)

REFERENCES:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7652206/
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL1z3Uju-I0
3) https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.314515