Influenza and SARS-CoV-2: clinical and immunopathological distinction in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza in order to simplify their clinic differentiation in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bibliographic review: The history of major global epidemics has promoted in the scientific community a greater scientific-technological arsenal to combat new infections. Over the centuries, viruses are mutated, generating new strains responsible for epidemics and pandemics that increase morbidity and mortality and affect socioeconomic development in countries. In these circumstances, the pandemic of COVID-19 reviews the similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza infections and the clinical challenges of identification and management of the infected. Observational studies detailed symptomatological specificities but were notoriously insufficient for clinical diagnosis, especially after case reports of coinfection. Thus, propaedeutic studies continue to be updated in order to ensure the best prognosis for affected patients. Final considerations: The bibliographic review aims to assist in the identification and differentiation between infections by SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza in order to increase the safety of propaedeutics given the high mortality rate of the pandemic context.