Covid-19: scientists strike back

Methods for combating coronavirus developed during a pandemic

The covid pandemic (SARS-CoV-2 virus) has just swept around the world. In general, in most countries of the world, by vaccination and natural passage of the disease, a level of herd immunity has been achieved. But during this time, the microscopic virus has killed millions of people and seriously hit billions. In addition, in recent days, incidence statistics in Russia have been growing inexorably (as of August 17, 2022, more than 33 thousand cases per day were detected).

In connection with covid, we all faced difficulties: sometimes social, sometimes financial, as expected often with physiological. All this time, the unprecedented attention of citizens was riveted on the work of those who had to cope with the current situation in record time: doctors, scientists, pharmacists. And, admittedly, scientists did not hit their faces in the mud. Over two years, a huge number of life-saving techniques have been developed, which this review is devoted to.

PCR as Principal Investigator

The fight against any disease begins with its correct diagnosis. Already in the first (2021) year of the pandemic, Roszdravnadzor registered 60 test kits for diagnosing coronavirus, 34 of which were developed in Russian laboratories. And thanks to the participation of the state and business at the end of 2020, 108.2 million test systems were released in Russia to detect coronavirus infection. In 2021, production rates only increased. Most of these systems use the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was invented in 1983 by Carey Mullis (American scientist). Subsequently, he received the Nobel Prize for this invention . Currently, PCR diagnostics is one of the most accurate and sensitive methods for diagnosing infectious diseases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an experimental method of molecular biology, a method of significantly increasing small concentrations of certain nucleic acid fragments (DNA) in biological material (sample). The PCR method is based on multiple doubling of a certain section of DNA using enzymes under artificial conditions (in vitro). As a result, sufficient amounts of DNA are generated for visual detection. In this case, only the area that meets the specified conditions is copied, and only if it is present in the test sample. [1]

Later, more accurate rapid tests based on the IHA (immunochromatographic analysis) method were developed. Such tests are based on detection of surface proteins of the virus.

Protection is not superfluous

To defeat the disease, it is not enough to simply protect yourself from infection (wear masks, gloves, use antiseptic agents). The most effective way to protect against the disease is to vaccinate the population. At the moment, 17 different vaccines have been approved in the world, 4 of which have been developed in our country. Some of these vaccines are obtained using old technologies: inactivated viruses and surface proteins are used. Much more attention in our review deserves new developments: viral vectors and RNA.

Vaccines based on viral vectors, including the domestic Sputnik V, use special artificial viruses to present antigens. Interestingly, these viruses are not just an inactive "target" with proteins, their task is to infect the cells of the vaccinated, lead them to the production of antigens, thereby activating all immune response systems. At the same time, one should not be afraid of the spread of viruses created in laboratories, since all systems of further reproduction and distribution have been removed from them at the genetic level.

RNA-based vaccines behave similarly. In this case, there is even less of the virus left - only a template RNA encoding a certain protein. It is delivered to cells using special nanocapsules - liposomes. After entering the cells, the process of "learning" the immune system is the same for both types of new vaccines. The main plus of such vaccination systems is the speed of development and production. This stage in the case of vaccines took only a few months. And since the beginning of mass production in 2021 alone, about 400 million doses of Sputnik V have been delivered.

Medical assistance to the body

But what if you still contracted the coronavirus? And here our experts stocked several trump cards in the sleeves of their white coats. Completely new drugs for treatment have not yet been developed, this period will last for decades. But many studies have already been carried out that show the possibility of using classic antiviral drugs against covid. Interferon-based drugs, Mefloquine, Umifenovir are used. It is important to note that clinical guidelines include anti-SARS drugs in treatment regimens. Thus, the results of recent studies have shown the effectiveness of Rafamine in the complex therapy of complications caused by coronavirus (the so-called "post-covid syndrome"). This is a Russian development. The manufacturer of Rafamin notes that due to the activation of all key universal and type-independent immune response processes to infection, Rafamin has both antiviral and moderate antibacterial effects.

The list of drugs that have shown effectiveness in combating covid only lengthens over time. Scientists continue to search for drugs for the disease in new promising directions: suppressing the protease and polymerase activity of the proteins of the virus, changing the conformation of proteins using technologically processed antibodies, even increasing the number of mutations in the proteins responsible for the reproduction of viruses.

The fight against coronavirus is not over yet. It may never be finished. But over the past 2 years, a lot has changed since the beginning of the infection: the virus has mutated, society has adjusted, clinics have been built, new treatments have been developed. From a terrifying monster, covid is gradually turning into another seasonal infection. For this, we must thank both our immune systems and the continuous work of medical workers. In the meantime, they work, you, dear readers, take care of your health!