Drawing Parallels between SARS, MERS, and COVID-19: A Comparative Overview of Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Pathological Features.

Background: Since November 2019, when the novel coronavirus arose in Wuhan City, over 188 million people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19. It is the third coronavirus outbreak in the twenty-first century. Until now, practically all coronavirus epidemics have occurred due to zoonotic spread from an animal or transitional host or through the consumption of their products.

Near-chromosomal de novo assembly of Bengal tiger genome reveals genetic hallmarks of apex predation.

The tiger, a poster child for conservation, remains an endangered apex predator. Continued survival and recovery will require a comprehensive understanding of genetic diversity and the use of such information for population management. A high-quality tiger genome assembly will be an important tool for conservation genetics, especially for the Indian tiger, the most abundant subspecies in the wild.

Next-generation sequencing analysis reveals high bacterial diversity in wild venomous and non-venomous snakes from India.

Background: The oral cavities of snakes are replete with various types of bacterial flora. Culture-dependent studies suggest that some of the bacterial species are responsible for secondary bacterial infection associated with snakebite. A complete profile of the ophidian oral bacterial community has been unreported until now.