Betacoronavirus

Betacoronavirus is a genus of coronavirus which is part of the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae in the family Coronaviridae. They are enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses. Betacoronaviruses are known to cause diseases in mammals, including humans.

Overview[edit | edit source]

The name "Betacoronavirus" derives from the Greek letter beta (β). It is one of four genera (Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, and Deltacoronavirus) in the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae. Betacoronaviruses are further divided into five subgenera or lineages.

Diseases[edit | edit source]

Betacoronaviruses can cause severe diseases in humans such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The COVID-19 pandemic, which started in 2019, is caused by a betacoronavirus named SARS-CoV-2.

Transmission[edit | edit source]

Betacoronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations have found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Prevention and Treatment[edit | edit source]

As of now, there are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by human coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. However, to relieve symptoms, people can:

Take pain and fever medications
Drink plenty of liquids
Stay home and rest

References[edit | edit source]

Betacoronavirus Resources
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