Betacoronavirus

From WikiMD's medical encyclopedia

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

References


WHO Rod.svg
This article is a medical stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it!
PubMed
Wikipedia

Betacoronavirus

  • Betacoronavirus

  • Betacoronavirus

  • Betacoronavirus

  • Betacoronavirus

  • Betacoronavirus

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Transform your life with W8MD's budget GLP-1 injections from $125.

W8mdlogo.png
W8MD weight loss doctors team

W8MD offers a medical weight loss program to lose weight in Philadelphia. Our physician-supervised medical weight loss provides:

NYC weight loss doctor appointments

Start your NYC weight loss journey today at our NYC medical weight loss and Philadelphia medical weight loss clinics.

Linkedin_Shiny_Icon Facebook_Shiny_Icon YouTube_icon_(2011-2013) Google plus


Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Retrieved from "https://wikimd.org/w/index.php?title=Betacoronavirus&oldid=6330290"

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD