SARS-CoV-2 e Vírus Influenza: panorama e desafios atuais

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza viruses cause a major socioeconomic impact in Brazil and worldwide. Since its emergence in December 2019, COVID-19 has caused nearly 40 million deaths in the country, whereas Influenza remains a recurrent seasonal threat requiring annual vaccination. Both are zoonotic viruses characterized by frequent antigenic mutations and tropism for epithelial cells of the human upper and lower respiratory tracts. Mild and moderate infections often display overlapping clinical symptoms, making RT-PCR testing of nasopharyngeal samples required for diagnosis. Through the Unified Health System (SUS), the Brazilian population has free access to treatments and vaccines. For SARS-CoV-2, available vaccines include the mRNA-based Spikevax® (Moderna) and Comirnaty® (Pfizer), among others. Influenza vaccines are trivalent and annually updated, providing protection against the H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria strains. COVID-19 patients may be treated with the monoclonal antibody Tocilizumab, a recombinant IgG1 used to control inflammation, or with the antiviral Paxlovid® in
individuals at risk of severe disease. For Influenza infections, antivirals such as Baloxavir, which inhibits viral genome replication, and Oseltamivir, a neuraminidase blocker that prevents virion release, are recommended. Ongoing research focuses on the development of universal Influenza vaccines capable of withstanding continuous antigenic drift. Other investigations explore neutralizing and non-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies targeting conserved SARS-CoV-2 epitopes, such as REGN17092 (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals) and AZD3152 (AstraZeneca), offering longer-lasting immunity to the population.