A review on SARS-CoV-2: virology aspects, therapy and vaccine development

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virally-induced pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This is the third disease-causing coronavirus after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) which has been known in the human population in the 21st century. To this date (20th of Mehr, 1399), more than thirty-four million people have been infected by this virus and more than a million have lost their lives because of it which further signifies the importance of COVID-19 prevention and treatment. In this review article, we first take a look at the history of the famous coronaviruses and then introduce the genetic and pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a detailed manner. After discussing the related clinical manifestations, we shed a light on the treatments that have been assessed to this date. In the end, we will briefly discuss the vaccines that are currency being developed and highlight their success rate, so far. It is delightful to assert that out own research team is currently developing an oral and/or respiratory vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 which is composed of spike-surface decorated chitosan nanoparticles.