The world is presently reeling under the threat of COVID-19, which has spread its tentacles everywhere in the form of a full-fledged pandemic. At this hour of time, our understanding of this virus, in fact, the entire viral community, its characteristics, ability to cause the infection, and awareness about its detection, treatment, and prevention is indispensable. In this grave scenario, people from different strata are reaching out to help each other.
As a Biotech educational institution, what Biotecnika can do to help you. We can teach you and bring awareness to you.
“Awareness is a key ingredient in success. If you have it, teach it, if you lack it, seek it.”
So here Biotecnika brings a certificate course on Virology + COVID-19
Viruses are the most abundant biological life forms on Earth and infect all living things, and yet they are not considered to be alive. The term virus was given by Pasteur, which is derived from the Latin word for poison. Virology refers to the study of viruses.
Viruses are believed to have appeared around the same time when life began on Earth, but their origin hypothesis is still under debate. It was in 1898 that the first viruses were discovered. It was identified by its ability to pass through filters that were very small to allow the passage of bacteria. Since that time, scientists are continually researching viruses to better understand how to prevent epidemics and pandemics, and research on viruses has given a plethora of information on how living systems work.
A virus is a small parasite that has several characteristics common with living organisms, except that they are incapable to reproduce independently and maintain their metabolic activities. Viruses do not undergo cell division but assemble newly made proteins and other components from scratch after gaining entry into a cell and its machinery.
Once a virus infects a susceptible cell, it can then direct the cell machinery to produce more viruses. Viruses have either RNA or DNA which may single- or double-stranded, as their genetic material. The entire infectious virus particle is known as a virion, which consists of the nucleic acid and an outer shell of protein. Viruses have different shapes and sizes, and they are categorized by their shapes as Helical eg: The tobacco mosaic virus which has a helix shape. It can be an Icosahedral which is near-spherical viruses while some viruses are enveloped. Enveloped viruses have a protective lipid envelope like the influenza virus and HIV.
Viruses cause many human diseases and can be transmitted from person to person, and from mother to child during pregnancy or delivery. They can spread through touch, saliva, coughing, or sneezing, contaminated food or water, sexual contact, insects that transmit them from one person to another. Some of the diseases caused by the virus are smallpox, the common cold, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis, herpes, polio, HIV among others. Viral infections can be prevented by either using vaccines or can be treated with antiviral drugs
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by an evolved virus which leads to respiratory illness with symptoms such as a cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty in breathing. As the virus is a novel one we are yet to find a cure or vaccine for it. So right now, prevention is the best cure available for us. Practice hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap, avoid touching face and eyes and follow social distancing.
As there is a continuous evolution of viruses that are causing pandemics this course will help in knowing more about viruses, their mode of action and recent approaches to contain their infection. Because a well-prepared mind is ready to fight any challenge even if it is a virus.
So, join us in this fight, and let’s take a pledge to defeat COVID-19.