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Covid-19 is an evil genius. Virologist Peter Kolchinsky explains how
Peter Kolchinsky who spoke to senior editor Shiv Aroor as part of India Today's e-Conclave Corona Series explained how the novel coronavirus developed mechanisms to become a silent killer -- infecting so many so quickly all without a trace.
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https://twitter.com/IndiaToday/status/1252208619749208065
Virologist @PeterKolchinsky explains how asymptomatic cases transmit
https://twitter.com/IndiaToday
"This one [SARS-CoV-2] evolved to silently infect us...in the upper respiratory area and spread before replicating in our lungs," he added.
To break it down, think of the family of coronaviruses as spiky little buggers floating around in our body. They enter the body through droplets and use their spikes to attach to themselves to proteins in our body's cells.
The evil genius! Look at all those spikes.
Once they gain access to the cell, they use the machinery to replicate their numbers.
While the SARS-CoV-1 virus (responsible for the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak) would also enter the body through air droplets, it would target the person's lungs -- very rapidly making the infected ill. Since it made its presence known in a short span of time, it allowed for faster quarantining of patients.
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The 2019 edition of the virus is much smarter. It enters the body and makes home in an individual's throat cells. This does not really cause any significant symptoms immediately. The person may remain asymptomatic or even think of it as a minor cold.
Thus a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 will continue moving around, unwittingly infecting more people they come in contact with. Even if the person develops severe symptoms and hospitalised, it will be too late as the virus has already done its job.
Peter Kolchinsky has summed it up for all of us: "SARS-CoV-1 was a comparatively dumb virus. It went straight for the lungs, announced itself before it could spread to others, and so got social distanced into extinction. But SARS-CoV-2, the one plaguing us now, is stealthier, spreading first before revealing itself."
Peter Kolchinsk
https://twitter.com/PeterKolchinsky/status/1246975275021348865
While not technically alive, there's an evil genius to viruses that never ceases to amaze me. It's one reason I became a virologist. A recent Nature paper reveal a remarkable trick SARS-Cov-2 learned that makes it nastier than the first SARS.
https://twitter.com/PeterKolchinsky/status/1246975275021348865
So what's the solution? Social distancing and wearing masks and other protective gear even when you don't think you are infected!
Peter Kolchinsky who spoke to senior editor Shiv Aroor as part of India Today's e-Conclave Corona Series explained how the novel coronavirus developed mechanisms to become a silent killer -- infecting so many so quickly all without a trace.
ADVERTISEMENT
https://twitter.com/IndiaToday/status/1252208619749208065
Virologist @PeterKolchinsky explains how asymptomatic cases transmit
https://twitter.com/IndiaToday
"This one [SARS-CoV-2] evolved to silently infect us...in the upper respiratory area and spread before replicating in our lungs," he added.
To break it down, think of the family of coronaviruses as spiky little buggers floating around in our body. They enter the body through droplets and use their spikes to attach to themselves to proteins in our body's cells.
The evil genius! Look at all those spikes.
Once they gain access to the cell, they use the machinery to replicate their numbers.
While the SARS-CoV-1 virus (responsible for the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak) would also enter the body through air droplets, it would target the person's lungs -- very rapidly making the infected ill. Since it made its presence known in a short span of time, it allowed for faster quarantining of patients.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 2019 edition of the virus is much smarter. It enters the body and makes home in an individual's throat cells. This does not really cause any significant symptoms immediately. The person may remain asymptomatic or even think of it as a minor cold.
Thus a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 will continue moving around, unwittingly infecting more people they come in contact with. Even if the person develops severe symptoms and hospitalised, it will be too late as the virus has already done its job.
Peter Kolchinsky has summed it up for all of us: "SARS-CoV-1 was a comparatively dumb virus. It went straight for the lungs, announced itself before it could spread to others, and so got social distanced into extinction. But SARS-CoV-2, the one plaguing us now, is stealthier, spreading first before revealing itself."
Peter Kolchinsk
https://twitter.com/PeterKolchinsky/status/1246975275021348865
While not technically alive, there's an evil genius to viruses that never ceases to amaze me. It's one reason I became a virologist. A recent Nature paper reveal a remarkable trick SARS-Cov-2 learned that makes it nastier than the first SARS.
https://twitter.com/PeterKolchinsky/status/1246975275021348865
So what's the solution? Social distancing and wearing masks and other protective gear even when you don't think you are infected!
