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Review
. 2023 Mar 28;24(7):6369.
doi: 10.3390/ijms24076369.

A Comparison of Etiology, Pathogenesis, Vaccinal and Antiviral Drug Development between Influenza and COVID-19

Junhao Luo  1   2   3 , Zhuohan Zhang  1   2   3 , Song Zhao  1   2   3 , Rongbao Gao  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

A Comparison of Etiology, Pathogenesis, Vaccinal and Antiviral Drug Development between Influenza and COVID-19

Junhao Luo et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Influenza virus and coronavirus, two kinds of pathogens that exist widely in nature, are common emerging pathogens that cause respiratory tract infections in humans. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 emerged, causing a severe respiratory infection named COVID-19 in humans, and raising a global pandemic which has persisted in the world for almost three years. Influenza virus, a seasonally circulating respiratory pathogen, has caused four global pandemics in humans since 1918 by the emergence of novel variants. Studies have shown that there are certain similarities in transmission mode and pathogenesis between influenza and COVID-19, and vaccination and antiviral drugs are considered to have positive roles as well as several limitations in the prevention and control of both diseases. Comparative understandings would be helpful to the prevention and control of these diseases. Here, we review the study progress in the etiology, pathogenesis, vaccine and antiviral drug development for the two diseases.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; antiviral drug; etiology; influenza virus; pathogenesis; spread; vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Replication cycle of the influenza virus in host cells, and targets for antiviral drugs and compounds which are marked with the red “∟” symbols.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 in host cells, and targets for antiviral drugs and compounds which are marked with red “∟” symbols.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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