Genomics and evolution of viral pathogens causing the most common respiratory diseases

УДК 578.53
DOI 10.33861/2071-8020-2023-4-6-9

Okhlopkova O. V., Stolbunova K. A., Stepanyuk M. A., Moshkin A. D., Popov I. V., Ermakov A. M., Sobolev I. A., Shestopalov A. M.

Summary. Respiratory diseases caused by a myriad of viral pathogens present a significant health burden globally. Among these, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinoviruses, and more recently, coronaviruses, underscore the profound medical and socio-economic impacts of such infections. This review delves into the recent advances in genomics that have not only expanded our understanding of these viral pathogens but also provided invaluable insights into their evolution. Such insights are pivotal for diagnostics, prevention, and intervention. Respiratory diseases predominantly affect the respiratory tract, comprising the nose, throat, and lungs. While bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms can lead to respiratory infections, viral pathogens, due to their rapid mutation and adaptability, pose a distinct challenge. Viral infections like influenza, RSV, rhinoviruses, and coronaviruses have a vast global influence. For instance, annual flu outbreaks result in significant morbidity and mortality, causing up to 650,000 deaths worldwide. Similarly, diseases like the COVID-19 pandemic, instigated by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, have paralyzed the globe, highlighting the unpredictability and potential devastation of respiratory viral pathogens. The role of genomics in understanding virus evolution is pivotal. Studying the genome of viruses offers insights into their origin, evolutionary patterns, and potential vulnerabilities. The vast genomic data available today sheds light on the genetic diversity of viral populations, enabling tracking of transmission routes and forecasting future evolutionary trajectories. Authors consolidated contemporary genomic knowledge of primary viral pathogens causing respiratory diseases, delve into their evolutionary paths, and consequent implications, assessing their genetic diversity, host-virus interactions, infection transmission dynamics, and how genomic findings guide prevention and treatment strategies.

Keywords: RNA viruses, genetic diversity, evolution, influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, pneumoviruses, virus adaptation, outbreak, pathogen, genome.

References:

1-14. Vide supra.

Author affiliation:

Ohlopkova Olesya V., Ph. D. in Biology, senior scientific researcher of the department of biophysics and ecological research of the Vector Rospotrebnadzor; senior scientific researcher of the Laboratory of Virus Genomics and Evolution of the Scientific Research Institute of Virology of the Federal Research Center for Basic and Translational Medicine; phone: 8-913-7068940; e-mail: ohlopkova.lesia@yandex.ru.

Stolbunova Kristina A., research assistant of the department of biophysics and ecological research of the Vector Rospotrebnadzor; phone: 8-961-2228636; e-mail: stolbunova_ka@vector.nsc.ru.

Stepanyuk Marina A., research assistant of the department of molecular virology of flaviviruses and viral hepatitis of the Vector Rospotrebnadzor; phone: 8-903-9060745; e-mail: stepanyuk_ma@vector.nsc.ru.

Moshkin Alexey D., research assistant of the department of biophysics and ecological research of the Vector Rospotrebnadzor; phone: 8-961-4942146; e-mail: moshkin_ad@vector.nsc.ru.

Ermakov Alexey M., D. Sc. in Biology, professor, Dean of the faculty of Bioengineering and Veterinary Medicine of the Don State Technical University; e-mail: amermakov@yandex.ru.

Sobolev Ivan A., senior scientific researcher, Head of the laboratory of Virus Genomics and Evolution of the Research Institute of Virology of the Federal Research Center for Basic and Translational Medicine; phone: 8-961-2284278; e-mail: sobolev.riov@yandex.ru.

Shestopalov Aleksandr M., D. Sc. in Biology, professor, director of the Research Institute of Virology of the Federal Research Center for Basic and Translational Medicine; e-mail: amshestopalov@frcftm.ru.

Responsible for correspondence with the editorial board: Popov Igor V., junior scientific researcher of the faculty of Bioengineering and Veterinary Medicine of the Don State Technical University; junior scientific researcher of the division of Immunobiology and Biomedicine of the Sirius University of Science and Technology; junior scientific researcher of the Research Institute of Virology of the Federal Research Center for Basic and Translational Medicine; e-mail: ipopov@donstu.ru.