Review on SARS- CoV-2 Transmission, Infection and Pathogenesis in Animals

Abstract

Coronavirus are single stranded, positive sense, enveloped virus that belongs to the order Nidovirales. Coronavirus consists of pathogens of many animal species and humans including the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (SARS-CoV). This review considers the transmission, pathogenesis and diagnosis of coronavirus in animal.  Transmission of coronavirus is by inhalation of aerosol or droplets containing the virus via respiratory system and close contact with infected patients. Clinical signs exhibited by coronavirus infected animals are; coughing, sneezing, diarrhea, fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. Coronavirus pathogenesis involves viral attachment or entry, replication, transcription, translation, assembly and eventual release. Polymerase chain reaction is the most modern and acceptable method for coronavirus detection because of its sensitivity and accuracy, though, several other methods abound. The PCR amplifies a specific region of a DNA strand; employs thermal cycling and the main agents are primers and a DNA polymerase.  The process of denaturation, annealing and elongation constitutes a single cycle. Multiple cycles are required to amplifiy the target DNA to millions of copies.