Sep 2
2021
Nanotechnology vs. SARS-CoV-2: Can Nanomedicine Help Combat COVID-19?
In a very short period, the novel coronavirus has caused a very significant impact on the global health and socio-economic sector. This has caused serious damages and mortality among countries, especially those developing countries that lack resources and with a poor government response.
In light of this ongoing pandemic, this article presents the feasibility of nanotechnology in combating the prevailing problem of the COVID-19.
Pathogenicity & Structure of SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease. Coronaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses and under this type of virus are severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that caused viral epidemics in 2002 and 2012 respectively.
The genome sequence of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) shows a different homology from the other subtypes of coronavirus and is categorized under betacoronavirus which can be most likely found in bats. The virus is composed of densely glycosylated spike proteins that are responsible for virus binding and infiltration of the host cell.