Introduction to the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 epidemiology Chapter uri icon

abstract

  • Coronaviruses can infect a large proportion of animal species, including humans. These viruses can cause respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurological diseases. There are several coronaviruses, but three are involved in the development of severe pneumonia such as SARS-CoV, MERs-CoV, and the new SARS-CoV-2 which is the cause of the actual pandemic of COVID-19 disease. When this chapter was published, the number of accumulated cases in Mexico, Brazil, the United States, and worldwide was alarming. This chapter shows general information about clinical characteristics of COVID-19 presentation, the definition of suspected cases according to WHO, the impact of the disease in comparison with other respiratory viruses, the impact of infection in the pediatric population taking into account the minor expression of the host receptor, the useful of sufficient levels of vitamin D against severe cases of infection, the immune response, and reinfections, the epidemiological remarks of the pandemic, and finally a brief explanation of the variant emerge. It is important to mention that the aim of the epidemiological study of a new pathogen, as a cause of a pandemic, is to collect and analyze data so that proper public health policies can be formulated, to find therapies against the disease, establish risk factors for severe cases, and to have information about the rate of transmission. Currently, there are no treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and despite the commercial vaccines available, there is the necessity for more effective and safe vaccines that take into consideration the presence and emergence of viral variants. So far, the safe distance measures, hand washing, and ventilation of closed spaces are still being enforced, yet there is the need for other public health actions that can allow to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • 2022-01-01