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

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

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

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

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

See Also

• Coronavirus
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2

References

Betacoronavirus Resources
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