[PHOTO STORY] What The Coronavirus That Causes Covid-19 Really Looks Like
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The novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 is known as SARS-CoV-2.
While the humans can visually spot the effects of the virus, from mild cough to debilitating pneumonia, the virus itself is invisible at a mere 70-90 nm in size which is far smaller than dust and bacteria.
So images of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can only be made using electron microscopy, through transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).
Under the microscope, the battlefield becomes clearer as we can finally see this miniscule enemy that’s infected over 2 million people globally.
The stunning images of the novel coronavirus below are produced by the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
SARS-CoV-2 (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink)
TEM image of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient
SARS-CoV-2 (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (pink)
TEM image of virus particles emerging from surface of cells
Clearly seen spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, where corona is the Latin word for crown.
SARS-CoV-2 (round blue objects) emerging from the surface of cells
Apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (purple)
Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. An apoptotic cell is in the midst of dying.
Cell infected with SARS-COV-2 virus (orange) showing signs of death (apoptosis)
Kidney cell line (blue) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (orange)
Apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow)
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