Coronavirus
RNA viruses causing respiratory and other diseases in mammals and birds.
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections ranging from mild to lethal, including some cases of the common cold, SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. In cows and pigs, they cause diarrhea; in mice, they cause hepatitis and encephalomyelitis. They constitute the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, in the family Coronaviridae, order Nidovirales, and realm Riboviria. They are enveloped viruses with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome and a nucleocapsid of helical symmetry, with genome sizes ranging from approximately 26 to 32 kilobases, one of the largest among RNA viruses. Their characteristic club-shaped spikes project from the surface, creating an image reminiscent of the stellar corona, from which their name derives.
- field
- Virology
- known_for
- Causing respiratory tract infections in humans and birds, including SARS, MERS, and COVID-19; also causing diarrhea in cows and pigs, and hepatitis and encephalomyelitis in mice
- genome_type
- Positive-sense single-stranded RNA
- genome_size
- Approximately 26 to 32 kilobases
- subfamily
- Orthocoronavirinae
- family
- Coronaviridae
- order
- Nidovirales
Lore & Background
The name 'coronavirus' is derived from Latin corona, meaning 'crown' or 'wreath', itself from Greek κορώνη korṓnē, 'garland, wreath'. The name was coined by June Almeida and David Tyrrell, who first observed and studied human coronaviruses. The earliest reports of a coronavirus infection in animals occurred in the late 1920s, when an acute respiratory infection of domesticated chickens emerged in North America. Arthur Schalk and M.C. Charles D. In the late 1940s, two more animal coronaviruses were discovered: JHM, which causes brain disease (murine encephalitis), and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). Human coronaviruses were discovered in the 1960s. E.C. A research group at the National Institute of Health isolated another member, OC43, the same year.
Reader's Guide
Coronaviruses are significant as a family of viruses that cause a wide range of diseases in humans and animals, from mild common colds to lethal outbreaks such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Their ability to infect multiple species—including humans, birds, cows, pigs, and mice—highlights their zoonotic potential and the importance of surveillance in both human and animal populations. The discovery of human coronaviruses in the 1960s, followed by the identification of more pathogenic strains in the 21st century, has driven extensive research into their structure, replication, and evolution. The characteristic spike proteins, which give them their crown-like appearance, are key targets for vaccine and therapeutic development. The legacy of coronaviruses includes not only the devastating pandemics they have caused but also advances in virology, such as the development of organ culture techniques and electron microscopy methods that enabled their initial characterization. Their continued study remains critical for pandemic preparedness and understanding viral emergence.
Did You Know?
- Coronaviruses have one of the largest RNA genomes, ranging from approximately 26 to 32 kilobases.
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