Immunology Research Project

In the winter of 2019, in Wuhan, China, a silent killer emerged that ravaged many of the smaller villages and towns just outside of Wuhan. This wasnt unlike many silent killers that have attacked China; after all, not even 20 years ago, the country (and the world) was forced to deal with a nemesis known as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome)which arose in the Yunnan Province of China. This enemy, however, was different.

Unlike SARS, which did not discriminate among who it affected, this new virus appeared to most highly affect the elderly and immunocompromised. Inoculation time varied among the different residents of the Wuhan province, but there appeared to be one common thread among all of the sufferers of this virus: the end result would be a need for mechanical ventilation and acute care and, often, drastic life-saving interventions. The death toll in China rose to the thousands within an extremely short span of time.  Epidemiologists in Wuhan were both astounded and stricken with fear at how rapidly the virus replicated and spread among hosts as well.

As with most rapidly spreading viruses, unfortunately, what began as a virus which ravaged one village in China eventually became one of the most prevalent pandemics the world has ever seen. This virus, initially termed the Wuhan virus, was eventually identified as a coronavirus with similar viral features to two pandemic viruses: The MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) virus and SARS, the very same virus which was rampant in China less than 20 years ago. The virus has since been termed the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Coronavirus).

You are currently an epidemiologist working for the WHO.  You, along with a group of 20 colleagues, are formulating a plan to contain this pandemic and potentially devise a vaccine/cure for it.  Using at least three medically/scientifically accredited sources (see South College Library website for possible sources), answer the following:

1. When treating any infection, it is important to know your enemy. What are some intrinsic/specific features of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which renders it unique when compared to other pandemic viruses?
2. From an epidemiologic perspective, how would you explain the reasons as to why the virus has been able to disseminate among the nations?
3. What are the standards of care/management options for SARS-CoV-2 virus?
4. How do we determine who requires testing for this virus? What are some exclusion criteria for testing for SARS-CoV-2? What would be the potential harms in testing a large enclave of the population for SARS-CoV-2 (would this change your management of the virus)?
5. There have been 2 potential interventions which have been suggested for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 based on in vitro testing: Azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine (an anti-malarial medication). What is the evidence that either one of these is sufficient for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2? KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING: In order to introduce a treatment for a particular disease/infection, the BENEFITS MUST OUTWEIGH THE RISKS. Is this the case with these two treatments?
6. What population(s) of patients are most highly affected by SARS-CoV-2? In the United States in particular, what are some risk factors which could predict worse outcomes?
7. How long will this viral pandemic ravage the world? What are some of the statistical projections which predict how long it will be before the virus is managed?
8. What are some of the ways in which the population can mitigate/decrease the transmission of the virus among the population? Is there evidence which supports social distancing?