COVID 19: AN OVERVIEW OF PATHOGENESIS, CYTOKINE STORM AND INTERFERONS AS A POTENTIAL DRUG THERAPY

Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a pandemic and has not been previously identified in humans. Transmission among humans occurs through respiratory droplets of infected individual. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 undergo acute respiratory distress because of Cytokine storm which serve as the major cause of morbidity and mortality in affected individuals. Cytokines are defined as non-structural proteins which are small with low molecular weight and have a greater regulatory influence in inflammation and immunity. They are considered as the intercellular messenger in the immune system.Therefore, this article provides a glimpse of advancements made in the area of SARS-CoV-2 infection where Cytokines may be a useful biomarker for both diagnostic and prognostic purpose and also as a therapeutic agent in targeting certain cytokines responsible for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.