Virology, transmission, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2

Type Journal Article Author Muge Cevik Author Krutika Kuppalli Author Jason Kindrachuk Author Malik Peiris URL https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m3862 Rights Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions. This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ's website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage Volume 371 Publication BMJ ISSN 1756-1833 Date 23/10/2020 Extra Publisher: British Medical Journal Publishing Group Section: Practice PMID: 33097561 Journal Abbr BMJ DOI 10.1136/bmj.m3862 Library Catalog www.bmj.com Language en Abstract Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, there has been an unparalleled global effort to characterise the virus and the clinical course of disease. Coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, follows a biphasic pattern of illness that likely results from the combination of an early viral response phase and an inflammatory second phase. Most clinical presentations are mild, and the typical pattern of covid-19 more resembles an influenza-like illness—which includes fever, cough, malaise, myalgia, headache, and taste and smell disturbance—rather than severe pneumonia (although emerging evidence about long term consequences is yet to be understood in detail).1 In this review, we provide a broad update on the emerging understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiology, including virology, transmission dynamics, and the immune response to the virus.