Thekey differencebetween coronavirus and influenza is thatcoronavirus is positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that causes illnesses ranging from common cold andpneumoniato severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) while influenza virus is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus that causes seasonal flu epidemics each year.
Viruses are infectious agents. They cause diseases in almost all types of organisms. They areobligate parasitesthat replicate inside a specific host organism. Coronavirus and influenzavirus are two types of viruses. They areRNA virusesthat are enveloped. Both attack respiratory system of humans and show similar symptoms. However, coronavirus infection is more deadly than the influenza virus infection. Moreover, there is a vaccine for influenza infection while there is no vaccine for coronavirus yet.
CONTENTS
1.Overview and Key Difference
2.是什么Coronavirus
3.是什么Influenza
4.Similarities Between Coronavirus and Influenza
5.Side by Side Comparison – Coronavirus vs Influenza in Tabular Form
6.Summary
是什么Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a large family of enveloped viruses with helical-shaped nucleocapsids. The name ‘corona’ was given to this virus family as they have crown-like projections on their surface. These viruses infect the respiratory tract of mammals. Coronaviruses cause illnesses ranging from common cold and pneumonia to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). They can also affect the gut of mammals. The common symptoms of coronavirus infection are a runny nose, cough, sore throat, and possibly a headache. People of all ages are susceptible to this virus.
There are different types of coronavirus. Generally, coronavirus can be transmitted from animals to humans. When people have weakened immune systems, this virus spreads from person to person through droplets carrying the virus. Therefore, touching or shaking hands with an infected person, making contact with the objects having the virus, etc. can cause the spread of the virus. Therefore, in order to prevent the spreading of this virus, it is necessary to take precautions such as wearing surgical face masks, washing your hands using soap for at least 20 seconds, avoiding close contact with infected people, etc.
是什么Influenza?
Influenza virus (commonly called flu virus) is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the viral family Orthomyxoviridae. It causes an infectious disease called influenza in vertebrates. The common symptoms of influenza infection include high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, headache, coughing, and feeling of tiredness.
咳嗽和病毒通过空气传播sneezing. It can also be spread by touching the objects contaminated by the virus and then touching the nose, mouth and eyes. The disease appears two days after exposure to influenza virus. Then it can last for less than a week. In most people, the infection resolves itself. But in certain people, especially in immunocompromised people, young children aged below 5, and adults aged above 65, it can last for several weeks and can cause complications.
There are four types of influenza viruses asInfluenzavirus A,Influenzavirus B,Influenzavirus C,andInfluenzavirus D.Among the four types, only three types infect humans. Influenzavirus A is the most virulent human pathogen which causes H1N1, H2N2, etc. The infection can be prevented by frequent hand washing, wearing masks and vaccination.
What are the Similarities Between Coronavirus and Influenza?
- Both coronavirus and influenza are single-stranded RNA viruses.
- They are enveloped viruses.
- They attack the respiratory system of humans.
- Both can cause mild to severe diseases including fevers, tiredness, coughing and pneumonia.
- Their infections spread through the air and by contact.
是什么the Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza?
Coronavirus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which causes illnesses ranging from common cold and pneumonia to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In contrast, influenza virus is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus which causes seasonal flu epidemics each year. So, this is the key difference between coronavirus and influenza. Moreover, coronavirus spread slowly while the influenza virus spreads rapidly than the coronavirus. Furthermore, coronavirus infections are more deadly than influenza virus infections. Most importantly, there is no vaccine for coronavirus yet while there is a vaccine for the influenza virus.
The below info-graphic summarizes the difference between coronavirus and influenza.
Summary – Coronavirus vs Influenza
冠状病毒是病毒的一个大家庭,作为原因的es illnesses ranging from common cold and pneumonia to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). On the other hand, the influenza virus is another type of virus that causes seasonal flu epidemics each year. Both types are ssRNA viruses which are enveloped. Both cause infections in the respiratory system of humans. Influenza infections spread rapidly while coronavirus spreads slowly. However, coronavirus infections show a higher mortality rate than influenza virus infections. So, this is the summary of the difference between coronavirus and influenza.
Reference:
1. Denison, Mark R, et al. “Coronaviruses: an RNA Proofreading Machine Regulates Replication Fidelity and Diversity.” RNA Biology, Landes Bioscience, 2011,Available here.
2. “Influenza (Seasonal).” World Health Organization, World Health Organization,Available here.
3. “Types of Influenza Viruses.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 Nov. 2019,Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “3D medical animation coronavirus structure” ByScientific Animations–(CC BY-SA 4.0)viaCommons Wikimedia
2. “EM of influenza virus” By Cynthia GoldsmithContent Providers(s): CDC/ Dr. Terrence Tumpey – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Image Library (PHIL) (Public Domain) viaCommons Wikimedia
Tomsays
Quite possibly the most straight forward and easiest to understand article for the layman that I’ve read about the corona virus verses the influenza virus. Thank you very much Dr. Samanthi for making the complex simple. I used to work with many PHD’s. There were many who were extremely talented at converting the simple into complex. I always appreciated the far and few between with your skill, knowledge and intelligence to help others understand the complex world in which we live. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with others.
mike shoreysays
kinda confused what positive and negative sence means is this the same as a magnet poles?
Jillsays
I believe that it refers to the direction in which the RNA strand is read, rather like reading English vs reading Hebrew.
Wade Larsensays
‘Positive-sense’ … ‘negative-sense’? Truth, this whole “pandemic” makes no sense at all.
Until, that is, one scrutinizes those who stand to profit greatly from the outcome.
I. Imasahmsays
Agree, Wade! We are several months down the road now and have learned that the medical establishment stands to gain $17K per patient they diagnose with covid-19, and $37K per patient they put on a ventilator – MOST of whom die while on the ventilator. One must question whether they truly needed to be on a ventilator to begin with or simply allowed shallow breathing until they got stronger. Of course, being in dire lung pain from this virus and being elderly, I suspect the only thing that person could think of is “get me out of pain!”
We have also learned that the medical establishment was/is counting EVERYONE who has (and/or died) with a lung issue or heart issue as a covid-19 death, whether they had covid-19 or not – all of this at the direction of the CDC. Yes, the CDC instructions are right there in print for all (who know how to access it) to read!
We have learned that some “experts” say the virus is absolutely deadly and we must shut down the entire country, while other experts say the virus is no worse than the seasonal flu, except for those who are at a higher risk anyway. So do we shut down (again) the entire country, causing thousands more suicides due to failed businesses and depression, and just sit and wait for some magical vaccine, or do we do what Americans have always done: take the bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground.
We have also learned that, if you are mixed in with thousands of angry people protesting and rioting in the streets, you are less likely to catch covid-19 than if you are at an outdoor parade or some non-violent event where everyone is being considerate of space and not coughing or sneezing at someone! The protests are STILL being allowed, while any other gathering is prohibited….all for the safety of the citizens, mind you!
And finally, I suspect that a miraculous healing will occur, or a miraculous cure-all vaccine will appear, on November 5, 2020, according to how the day before turns out.
DR Larsonsays
Definitely sounds like you are the one profiting.
D Nilessays
The article is about the relative components of corona and influenza viruses. It was not meant to be an invitation to political anger.
Johnny Curtissays
The article is about the differences between a family of viruses and part of another family of viruses. Although briefly mentioned, it’s not about their relative components. Also, I don’t think the comments are full of political anger (maybe some disbelief and/or confusion??). It looks like a couple people were stating a few things about what was going on at the time. The only political part I see is the mention of a miraculous cure-all vaccine appearing on November 5, 2020. They were off by 39 days, but I’m not reading any anger or hatred, except yours. I am going to assume that reading what they wrote angered you, and that you didn’t even read the article. I think you probably skipped the article, went straight to the comments and purposely read them with an angry tone. Possibly out loud, confusing your cat. No. Probably not. I’m not good at your game. You win.
Károly Szentesisays
In a self-destructive society, maintaining the immune system with a healthy lifestyle cannot be a solution, but a quick vaccination is needed to ensure that you and I continue to live in a destructive way.
Dr. Bonnie Mackenzie PHDsays
This description side steps many relevant similarities between the two pathogens and downright makes a false differentiation between the two. Influenza can and does have all the symptoms described as unique to covid2. The narrative is more accurate thou
The SARS COV2 vector is the same as the vast majority of human URI causing viruses. The tissues affected by these two are the same and the peripheral symptoms are the same as most URIs. In fact, the vast majority of properties are exactly the same unlike how influenza is oversimplified in the summarization chart (Which most readers will reference rather than scrutinize the narrative of this piece) and purposefully clouding their similarities by generalizations on one pathogen (Influenza) and specific symptom listing for COVID2.
The major difference being as one pointed out, the replication strategy of each, that SSARS COV2 is more insidious and as a results spreads more readily / deeper into a population due to the longer incubation time on average to appearance of symptoms. This doesn’t equate to more destructive potential OTHER than it will contact more hosts thus will reach more of those with immune dysfunction or deterioration which to date accounts for the majority of the LESS than 200 children who were determined to have died from SARS COV-2 during this pandemic.
Also the comparison of mortality between the two is again purposefully deceiving. Kids survive influenza far better than aged adults and the same goes for SARS COV2. In both cases due to younger peoples stronger and faster adaptive immune response as well as a more robust innate immune response. The statement that children are more at risk from FLU is simply not true. CDC publishes these statistics to some degree but has NOT been emphasizing them.
Do kids and old people die contrary to this narrative? Yes of course. However it is by far the the exception rather than the rule. Another fact lost in the vitriol homogenous media presentation presented by media puppets reading from the same script as if they actually understand the propaganda disguised as medical information they are parroting.
所有细节已被蒸馏出来的任何讨论n regarding COVID2 and contrary to the actual scientific method. A critical thinker need only peruse the vast amount of information coming out of institutional independent research. Texas Tech. Vanderbilt, Case Western Reserve, Harvard, USC and several different UCLA biomed/medical research to realize how much information is being ignored or de-emphasize.
When media keeps interviewing the most outrageous rightwing or radical idiot during a piece regarding resistance to vaccinations, and calling it “fair and balanced news” even an average IQ out to figure out that mainstream media has an agenda to keep the narrative simple, ignore any contrary information, and demonize any opposition rather than have honest and inclusive debate.
Sorry for the rant but a friend asked me about this article since we have had several conversations on virology, the pandemic and medications and I was enraged by the inaccuracies it contained.
Millie Ghuesteppesays
Dear Dr Bonnie, Wonderfully WELL SAID ! And please, never, never, NEVER apologize for telling the truth about what is happening in this world today.
Your reply to the article was much appreciated and very welcome. Thank you so much for speaking out for truth and for giving us the fuller picture.
Many people do not want us to hear things in a clearer light as you have explained them. Many thanks for you and those like you who are clarifying things for us.