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Microorganisms
Volume 14
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10.3390/microorganisms14010043
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Review

Alpha- and Beta-Coronaviruses in Humans and Animals: Taxonomy, Reservoirs, Hosts, and Interspecies Transmission

by
Bekbolat Usserbayev
1,*,
Kuandyk Zhugunissov
1,
Izat Smekenov
2,
Nurlan Akmyrzayev
1,
Akbope Abdykalyk
1,
Khayrulla Abeuov
1,
Balnur Zhumadil
1,
Aibarys Melisbek
1,
Meirzhan Shirinbekov
1,
Samat Zhaksylyk
1,
Zhanerke Nagymzhanova
1,
Ainur Seidakhmetova
1,
Chiara Beltramo
3,
Simone Peletto
3,*,
Aslan Kerimbaev
1,
Sergazy Nurabaev
1,
Olga Chervyakova
1 and
Nurlan Kozhabergenov
1
1
Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems, National Holding QazBioPharm, LLP, Gvardeisky 080409, Kazakhstan
2
Scientific Research Institute of Biology and Biotechnology Problems, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
3
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2026, 14(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010043
Submission received: 31 October 2025 / Revised: 9 December 2025 / Accepted: 17 December 2025 / Published: 24 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in the Study of Coronaviruses: Towards One Health and Whole Genome Sequencing Approaches, 2nd Edition)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

The Coronaviridae family represents a broad group of RNA-containing viruses that infect humans and animals. This family belongs to the order Nidovirales and is divided into four main genera: α-CoV, β-CoV, γ-CoV and δ-CoV. It is particularly noteworthy that representatives of β-CoV have caused serious epidemics in humans, such as the outbreaks of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. Although the clinical manifestations of CoVs can range from mild cold-like symptoms to severe respiratory diseases, they share common features in their structure, modes of transmission, and natural reservoirs. Identifying natural reservoirs, as well as establishing intermediate hosts, is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of interspecies transmission of CoVs. These processes are often mediated by molecular interactions between viral spike (S) proteins and cellular receptors of different species, which contribute to zoonotic outbreaks. Thus, the interaction of various species and the study of these processes of viral spread, cross-species transmission, and pathogen evolution play a key role in ensuring global biological safety. Therefore, we conducted this review to summarize the data from existing studies focused on the taxonomy of CoVs, their main types, natural reservoirs, intermediate hosts, pathways of interspecies transmission, and the significance of the One Health concept as an interdisciplinary approach to monitoring, prevention and control of CoV infections at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. We examined databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant scientific articles in English available for such a review. The aim of this work is to study the taxonomy and classification of coronaviruses, as well as to identify their natural reservoirs, intermediate hosts, and applicable control measures. A review of human and animal coronaviruses has revealed their evolutionary diversity, their main natural reservoirs, their intermediate hosts, and their interactions with cellular receptors. This information allows for a better understanding of the mechanisms by which the viruses are transmitted from animals to humans. The concept of One Health demonstrated the interconnections between human, animal and environmental factors.
Keywords: coronavirus; respiratory infection; natural reservoir; intermediate host; receptor; One Health; interspecies transmission coronavirus; respiratory infection; natural reservoir; intermediate host; receptor; One Health; interspecies transmission

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Usserbayev, B.; Zhugunissov, K.; Smekenov, I.; Akmyrzayev, N.; Abdykalyk, A.; Abeuov, K.; Zhumadil, B.; Melisbek, A.; Shirinbekov, M.; Zhaksylyk, S.; et al. Alpha- and Beta-Coronaviruses in Humans and Animals: Taxonomy, Reservoirs, Hosts, and Interspecies Transmission. Microorganisms 2026, 14, 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010043

AMA Style

Usserbayev B, Zhugunissov K, Smekenov I, Akmyrzayev N, Abdykalyk A, Abeuov K, Zhumadil B, Melisbek A, Shirinbekov M, Zhaksylyk S, et al. Alpha- and Beta-Coronaviruses in Humans and Animals: Taxonomy, Reservoirs, Hosts, and Interspecies Transmission. Microorganisms. 2026; 14(1):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010043

Chicago/Turabian Style

Usserbayev, Bekbolat, Kuandyk Zhugunissov, Izat Smekenov, Nurlan Akmyrzayev, Akbope Abdykalyk, Khayrulla Abeuov, Balnur Zhumadil, Aibarys Melisbek, Meirzhan Shirinbekov, Samat Zhaksylyk, and et al. 2026. "Alpha- and Beta-Coronaviruses in Humans and Animals: Taxonomy, Reservoirs, Hosts, and Interspecies Transmission" Microorganisms 14, no. 1: 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010043

APA Style

Usserbayev, B., Zhugunissov, K., Smekenov, I., Akmyrzayev, N., Abdykalyk, A., Abeuov, K., Zhumadil, B., Melisbek, A., Shirinbekov, M., Zhaksylyk, S., Nagymzhanova, Z., Seidakhmetova, A., Beltramo, C., Peletto, S., Kerimbaev, A., Nurabaev, S., Chervyakova, O., & Kozhabergenov, N. (2026). Alpha- and Beta-Coronaviruses in Humans and Animals: Taxonomy, Reservoirs, Hosts, and Interspecies Transmission. Microorganisms, 14(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010043

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