Coronavirus in human diseases: Mechanisms and advances in clinical treatment

Abstract Coronaviruses (CoVs), a subfamily of coronavirinae, are a panel of single-stranded RNA virus Human coronavirus (HCoV) strains (HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-NL63) usually cause mild upper respiratory diseases and are believed to be harmless However, other HCoVs, associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19, have been identified as important pathogens due to their potent infectivity and lethality worldwide Moreover, currently, no effective antiviral drugs treatments are available so far In this review, we summarize the biological characters of HCoVs, their association with human diseases, and current therapeutic options for the three severe HCoVs We also highlight the discussion about novel treatment strategies for HCoVs infections