COVID-19 as milestone for the use of new vaccine types

Abstract

COVID-19 je infektivna bolest izazvana virusom SARS-CoV-2 koji pripada grupi Coronaviridae. Simptomi bolesti su prvenstveno prisutni u obliku respiratornog sindroma sličnog simptomima do kojih dovode drugi respiratorni virusi poput virusa gripa, kao i virusa koji dovode do oboljenja poznatih pod imenom SARS i MERS. Međutim, na osnovu kratkog kliničkog iskustva, pokazalo se da COVID-19 utiče na sve organske sisteme ali je patogeneza bolesti i dalje nejasna. Blokada u razmeni gasova, sistemska hipoksija i poremećaji u koagulaciji prate najtežu kliničku sliku. Pored toga, ovaj virus pripada grupi RNA virusa koji dele zajedničke karakteristike sa virusom HIV- a, što ga čini veoma izazovnim u pogledu terapije savremenim medicinskim pristupima. Trenutno se širom sveta vode polemike o tome kako se boriti protiv ove epidemije. Pored higijenskih mera i mera bezbednog rastojanja i izolacije, postoji važna polemika oko profilaktičkih vakcina. U ovom preglednom članku pruža se uvid u sve aspekte vakcinacije i metode za njihov dizajn zasnovane na tehnologijama koje poseduje savremena nauka sa posebnim osvrtom na genetske (DNK, RNK) vakcine, i postavlja pitanje da li postoji opravdanost njihove urgentne primene u slučaju pandemije COVID- 19.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus which belongs to the Coronaviridae group. The symptoms of the disease are primarily present in the form of respiratory syndrome similar to the symptoms of other respiratory viruses such as influenza virus but also the very common SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV viruses known from the recent past. However, based on short clinical experience, it was found that apart from lungs COVID-19 affects all organ systems with unclear pathogenesis. Respiratory failure followed by systemic hypoxia and coagulation disorders is hallmarks of severe pathology. In addition, this virus belongs to the group of RNA viruses that share common characteristics with the HIV virus, which makes it very challenging for the therapy of modern medicine. There is currently controversy around the world about how to combat this epidemic. In addition to hygienic measures and measures of safe distance and isolation, there is an intense controversy about prophylactic vaccines. In this review article, the insight into all aspects of vaccination and methods for their design based on technological tools possessed by modern science with special reference to genetic (DNA, RNA) vaccines is provided, and the question arises of whether there is a justification of novel technology urgent application in the event of a COVID-19 pandemic.