The natural history of coronaviruses and vaccine development

Abstract

Coronaviruses are capable of infect the kidneys, liver, central nervous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems; both in humans and animals; therefore, they are pathogens of clinical, veterinary, and economic interest. These viruses tend to mutate effectively and frequently, which gives them the ability to move between different species and makes them highly contagious and dangerous. Among the diseases caused by coronavirus and that represent a threat to public health are SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and SARS.CoV-2 (COVID-19), as well like other diseases of livestock, birds, cats, dogs, and many other wild animals that represent a potential transitional reservoir for humans and domestic animals. However, there are very few viruses described for the family and it is estimated that there are more than 32,000 unknown varieties specific to mammals, so there is a high potential for infections. This essay present update and synthesized information on the history, classification, and taxonomy or coronaviruses, the relationship between virus biology and infection, mutations, and biotechnological applications for vaccine development.