Focus / Pandemic
Swedish virus research may change the world – I think the Covid-19 pandemic will be much like the measles pandemic used to be, a virus that recurs from time to time, and that will have serious consequences for some, but may also confer life-long immunity. So says Tomas Bergström, Professor of Clinical Microbiology. RIGHT NOW, intensive research is under way into Covid-19, both in Sweden and the rest of the world. For example, the Swedish Research Council is investing SEK 100 million on research into the virus. It’s a welcome investment, says Tomas Bergström. – Virus research has been extremely neglected in the past. We do not know how many viruses there are on the planet, nor do we know much about how viruses work. Hopefully, the various initiatives will change that. Mankind has so far only been able to eradicate two viruses: smallpox and rinderpest, which is related to measles and affects cows. Despite the fact that for some considerable time there have been vaccines against, for example, measles and polio, for various reasons they have not yet been eradicated, and outbreaks occur from time to time in different places. OF THE SEVEN human coronaviruses, four
cause mild colds, while SARS, MERS and Covid-19 are more severe. There is no vaccine or drug for any of these diseases, says Tomas Bergström.
24
GUJOURNAL SUMMER 2020
– There are also no vaccines or drugs to combat other viruses that circulate and cause less severe symptoms, such as rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus and RSV. But greater investment in research and drug development is likely to produce good results. Just think of how successful the pharmaceutical industry has been in treating chronic viral infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C.
– Swedish virus research could change the world, says Tomas Bergström.
OVER THE PAST 13 years, the WHO has
declared a global emergency on six occasions. In all these instances it was because of a virus. – The rapid spread of Ebola came as a surprise, as did the Zika virus, which causes foetal malformations. Although we do not know which epidemics we will encounter in the future, it actually is possible to be prepared. Viruses can often be attacked in similar ways, explains Tomas Bergström. – If, for example, we had had medication to treat the mild coronaviruses, which only cause cold symptoms, they probably would have worked well against Covid-19 as well. There is a lot of
knowledge about coronaviruses among veterinary virologists, as these viruses often affect livestock, so we should work more closely with them. Furthermore, if we also develop vaccines and drugs against other known viruses, we would be prepared if similar dangerous strains emerge in the future. ANOTHER OPTION IS antiviral drugs that can be used both for prophylactic purposes and to treat infected patients. – It was because of so-called neuraminidase inhibitors, a type of drug that
