Editing Openai/680845c9-c944-8012-bafb-fa1bab1e9277 (section)

==== Let’s evaluate each of your scientific steps. ====

===== Study: Wang et al., Science (2020) =====
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32015507/
* They extracted virus directly from human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).
* Used ultracentrifugation and gradient purification to isolate particles.
* No cell culture used prior to imaging or genome work.

✅ Purified from human clinical sample
✅ No additives, antibiotics, or host cells required to demonstrate physical presence

===== Study: Zhu et al., New England Journal of Medicine (2020) =====
Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001017
* Electron micrographs of viral particles directly from BALF were taken.
* Identifiable spike proteins, spherical particles (60–140 nm), consistent with known coronaviruses.
* Compared with mock-treated samples and healthy controls.

✅ EM from purified material
✅ Control images included
✅ Peer-reviewed

===== Study: Wu et al., Nature (2020) =====
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2008-3
* Whole genome sequenced directly from purified respiratory samples.
* Multiple isolates from different patients confirmed identical viral sequences.
* De novo assembly (not reference mapping) used to confirm novel virus.

✅ Genome sequencing from human sample
✅ Confirmed presence of virus genome in purified extract
✅ Reproducible across multiple patients

===== Study: Munster et al., NEJM (2020) — Animal Model =====
Study: Chandrashekar et al., Science (2020) — Rhesus Macaques
Study: Deng et al., Cell Host & Microbe (2020) — Transmission studies
Multiple groups have:
* Administered purified virus intranasally to primates
* Observed viral replication, symptoms, immune response
* Documented shedding and transmission
* In some cases, used virus stocks derived directly from primary isolates, not extended passages

✅ Infectivity tested
✅ Ethical animal models used
✅ Symptoms matched human COVID-19