Open Access

Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Shih‑Chang Tsai
    • Chi‑Cheng Lu
    • Da‑Tian Bau
    • Yu‑Jen Chiu
    • Yu‑Ting Yen
    • Yuan‑Man Hsu
    • Chih‑Wei Fu
    • Sheng‑Chu Kuo
    • Yu‑Shiang Lo
    • Hong‑Yi Chiu
    • Yu‑Ning Juan
    • Fuu‑Jen Tsai
    • Jai‑Sing Yang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 20, 2020     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2020.4794
  • Pages: 3-22
  • Copyright: © Tsai et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 4.0].

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Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) outbreak, which has caused >46 millions confirmed infections and >1.2 million coronavirus related deaths, is one of the most devastating worldwide crises in recent years. Infection with COVID‑19 results in a fever, dry cough, general fatigue, respiratory symptoms, diarrhoea and a sore throat, similar to those of acute respiratory distress syndrome. The causative agent of COVID‑19, SARS‑CoV‑2, is a novel coronavirus strain. To date, remdesivir has been granted emergency use authorization for use in the management of infection. Additionally, several efficient diagnostic tools are being actively developed, and novel drugs and vaccines are being evaluated for their efficacy as therapeutic agents against COVID‑19, or in the prevention of infection. The present review highlights the prevalent clinical manifestations of COVID‑19, characterizes the SARS‑CoV‑2 viral genome sequence and life cycle, highlights the optimal methods for preventing viral transmission, and discusses possible molecular pharmacological mechanisms and approaches in the development of anti‑SARS‑CoV‑2 therapeutic agents. In addition, the use of traditional Chinese medicines for management of COVID‑19 is discussed. It is expected that novel anti‑viral agents, vaccines or an effective combination therapy for treatment/management of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and spread therapy will be developed and implemented in 2021, and we would like to extend our best regards to the frontline health workers across the world in their fight against COVID‑19.
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January-2021
Volume 47 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Tsai SC, Lu CC, Bau DT, Chiu YJ, Yen YT, Hsu YM, Fu CW, Kuo SC, Lo YS, Chiu HY, Chiu HY, et al: Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review). Int J Mol Med 47: 3-22, 2021
APA
Tsai, S., Lu, C., Bau, D., Chiu, Y., Yen, Y., Hsu, Y. ... Yang, J. (2021). Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 47, 3-22. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2020.4794
MLA
Tsai, S., Lu, C., Bau, D., Chiu, Y., Yen, Y., Hsu, Y., Fu, C., Kuo, S., Lo, Y., Chiu, H., Juan, Y., Tsai, F., Yang, J."Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 47.1 (2021): 3-22.
Chicago
Tsai, S., Lu, C., Bau, D., Chiu, Y., Yen, Y., Hsu, Y., Fu, C., Kuo, S., Lo, Y., Chiu, H., Juan, Y., Tsai, F., Yang, J."Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 47, no. 1 (2021): 3-22. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2020.4794