The Gloomy in the Beginning of the Year of Rat

The cartoon of the Year of Rat

This opening of the first year of the Chinese zodiac cycle seems will be a historical year in Medical Microbiology.

We welcome to symbol of this year, Rat, but we have never ever welcome to the beautiful and powerful name, which is “Corona” virus.

It was not long ago, 2002, we were shocked about the corona virus that attack human upper respiratory, and this virus so easily roamed in the air to find the nice niche to grow, human respiratory tracts.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak began in South China's Guangdong Province in November 2002.

There was 8000 people got infection and at least 750 people death. This disease spread through respiratory droplets and also sweat, urine, and feces.

Coronavirus is enveloped virions with the longest positive RNA genome. The surface of the envelope are glycoproteins.

Those glycoproteins have club-shaped and cling around the surface so that it looks like a “corona” or halo under the electron microscope. The glycoprotein functions are to bind to the host and fusion activity.

The cartoon of coronavirus (Credit: Murray et al)

Normally, coronavirus infects the epithelial cells of respiratory tract of human. The reason is theses place is the optimum temperature for the coronavirus to grow, in the range 33 – 35 degree celsius.

Now, January 2020, and China got ready for the biggest festival to celebrate their New Year, Spring Festival.

In their faith, to welcome the new year, they decorate their house to against demons and evil, put calligraphy to welcome the fortune, and prepare the red envelopes to health of their children.

Those things seem do not help for this year. The new coronavirus from Wuhan have came over the China and now spread to other countries.

On January 27, the Day of Rat, which is the day that rats marry, the virus had killed at least 80 people in China and infected about 3000 people around the world and the most is in China.

The Rat looks mourn.