1
|
Arora S, Grover V, Saluja P, Algarni YA, Saquib SA, Asif SM, Batra K, Alshahrani MY, Das G, Jain R, Ohri A. Literature Review of Omicron: A Grim Reality Amidst COVID-19. Microorganisms 2022; 10:451. [PMID: 35208905 PMCID: PMC8876621 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in Wuhan city in December 2019, and became a grave global concern due to its highly infectious nature. The Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2, with its predecessors (i.e., MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) belong to the family of Coronaviridae. Reportedly, COVID-19 has infected 344,710,576 people around the globe and killed nearly 5,598,511 persons in the short span of two years. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 strain, later named Omicron, was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC). SARS-CoV-2 has continuously undergone a series of unprecedented mutations and evolved to exhibit varying characteristics. These mutations have largely occurred in the spike (S) protein (site for antibody binding), which attribute high infectivity and transmissibility characteristics to the Omicron strain. Although many studies have attempted to understand this new challenge in the COVID-19 strains race, there is still a lot to be demystified. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to summarize the structural or virologic characteristics, burden, and epidemiology of the Omicron variant and its potential to evade the immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Arora
- Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Vishakha Grover
- Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Dr. H.S.J. Institute of Dental Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India; (V.G.); (A.O.)
| | - Priyanka Saluja
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, JCD Dental College, Sirsa 125055, India
| | - Youssef Abdullah Algarni
- Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Shahabe Abullais Saquib
- Department of Periodontics and Community Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Shaik Mohammed Asif
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Kavita Batra
- Biomedical Statistician, Office of Research, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at University of Nevada, 2040 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89102, USA;
| | - Mohammed Y. Alshahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Gotam Das
- Department of Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rajni Jain
- Department of Prosthodontics, Dr. H.S.J. Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital, Punjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India;
| | - Anchal Ohri
- Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Dr. H.S.J. Institute of Dental Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India; (V.G.); (A.O.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kumar SS, Binu A, Devan AR, Nath LR. Mucus targeting as a plausible approach to improve lung function in COVID-19 patients. Med Hypotheses 2021; 156:110680. [PMID: 34592563 PMCID: PMC8440041 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2021.110680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as one of the worst pandemics that have tormented the globe due to its highly contagious nature. Even if the disease manifests fever-like symptoms mostly, the disease may progress to the pulmonary-hyper inflammatory phase, with severe pneumonia, hypoxia and subsequent multiple organ infection. This subsequently creates a huge burden to the health care systems across the globe for an immediate arrangement of ventilator facilities, oxygen supply and advanced health care. We evaluated the pathological similarity of COVID-19 with other airway obstructive disorders such as COPD and asthma and found typical mucus hypersecretion and mucus plugging in COVID-19 subjects. From several bronchoscopy and clinical autopsy carried out in COVID-19 patients, the overexpression of mucin gene was evident which play a significant role in mucus hypersecretion and accumulation, leading to airway obstruction and further to respiratory distress. In the present work, we highlight the need for intense research inputs to elucidate the exact role the mucus plays in worsening COVID-19 symptoms. This will further help to find a proper approach to quantify the airway mucus plugging in each patient and to develop an appropriate therapy either to inhibit mucus secretion or to improve mucus clearance through well-designed clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarath S Kumar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P.O., Kochi, Kerala 682041, India
| | - Aiswarya Binu
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P.O., Kochi, Kerala 682041, India
| | - Aswathy R Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P.O., Kochi, Kerala 682041, India
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P.O., Kochi, Kerala 682041, India.
| |
Collapse
|