Abstract:

SARS-CoV-2 is a new virus that is the cause of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We currently do not have a cure and immunity against this pathogen. Influenza viruses, on the other hand, are constantly evolving and undergo various levels of antigenic drift and shift that will become less recognizable by our immune system. This makes it difficult to develop a widespread effective influenza vaccine and also poses a risk of pandemics by leading to the emergence of new strains of zoonotic Influenza. Both Coronaviruses and Influenza viruses are enveloped RNA viruses and one of the primary pathogens affecting human respiration. COVID-19 and Influenza infections have similar transmission routes and symptoms. The reviewed literature indicates that there are important structural differences between COVID-19 and Influenza. These include differences in genome structures, surface proteins, number of strain and subtypes. In addition, incubation times, risk groups, asymptomatic transmission and transmission rate are important difference between the two viruses. However, unlike Influenza, the lack of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 poses serious difficulties in controlling the spread of the disease. As a result, Coronavirus is spreading rapidly and due to the risk of possible co-infection with Influenza virus, it is extremely important to evaluate COVID-19 and Influenza infection together and developing public health measures accordingly.