Four coronaviruses cause frequent and most often mild respiratory infections in humans: HCoV-OC43, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU 1. In addition to these endemic human coronaviruses, three new coronaviruses of zoonotic origin have emerged in the human population over the past 20 years. SARS-CoV (-1) appeared in 2003, MERS-CoV appeared in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 appeared in 20l9. These three coronaviruses are the causative agents of a severe respiratory syndrome. The epidemic of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to SARS-CoV-l affected approximately 8,000 individuals and caused approximately 800 deaths but was brought under control within a few months. MERS-CoV has caused more than 2,500 cases since 20l2 with a mortality of around 35 %. SARS-CoV-2 is currently responsible for a major pandemic with significant mortality in the elderly or in patients with underlying diseases.