Manara - Qatar Research Repository
Browse

Decoding information on COVID–19: Ontological approach towards design possible therapeutics

Download (5.95 MB)
journal contribution
submitted on 2023-09-28, 07:11 and posted on 2023-09-28, 11:16 authored by Swaminathan K. Jayachandran, Muthuswamy Anusuyadevi, Musthafa Mohamed Essa, M. Walid Qoronfleh

To date, no effective preventive or curative medical interventions exist against COVID-19, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS CoV-2). The available interventions are only supportive and palliative in nature. Popular among the emerging explanations for the mortality from COVID-19 is “cytokine storm”, attributed to the body's aggressive immune response to this novel pathogen. In less than a year the disease has spread to almost all countries, though the mortality rates have varied significantly from country to country based on factors such as the demographical mix of the population, prevalence of comorbidities, as well as prior exposure to viruses from the corona family. This review examines the current literature on mortality rates across the globe, explores the possible reasons, thereby decoding variations. COVID-19 researchers have noted unique characteristics in the structural and host-pathogen interaction and identified several possible target proteins and sites that could exhibit control over the entry of SARS CoV-2 into the host, which this paper reviews in detail. Identification of new targets, both in the virus and the host, may accelerate the search for effective vaccines and curative drugs against COVID-19. Further, the ontological approach of this review is likely to provide insights for researchers to anticipate and be ready for future mutant viruses that may emerge in future.

Other Information

Published in: Informatics in Medicine Unlocked
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2020.100486

Funding

Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.

History

Language

  • English

Publisher

Elsevier

Publication Year

  • 2021

License statement

This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Institution affiliated with

  • Qatar Foundation
  • World Innovation Summit for Health

Usage metrics

    Manara - Qatar Research Repository

    Licence

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC