Since January 2020, Elsevier has established a COVID-19 resource center on its public news and information website, Elsevier Connect, providing free information in English and Mandarin about the novel coronavirus. The company has granted permission to make all its COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, allowing unrestricted reuse and analysis with acknowledgment of the original source. The review discusses the epidemiology, genetic recombination, and pathogenesis of human coronaviruses (HCoVs). HCoVs were first identified in the 1960s and include those causing the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The review highlights the evolution and recombination events that have led to outbreaks in humans, particularly in camels, which have resulted in the dominant MERS lineage responsible for human outbreaks in 2015. The ecology of HCoVs is also discussed, noting that while 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1 are well-adapted to humans, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are less so and likely spread through zoonotic reservoirs. The review details the clinical manifestations, global distribution, and transmission dynamics of each HCoV, emphasizing the potential for genetic recombination to generate novel viruses with increased virulence. Finally, the review summarizes the phylogeny, evolution, and genetic recombination of HCoVs, highlighting the high mutation rates and the role of recombination in generating novel viruses. The authors conclude by emphasizing the need for further research to understand the prevalence of HCoVs in animal populations and the potential for future outbreaks.Since January 2020, Elsevier has established a COVID-19 resource center on its public news and information website, Elsevier Connect, providing free information in English and Mandarin about the novel coronavirus. The company has granted permission to make all its COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, allowing unrestricted reuse and analysis with acknowledgment of the original source. The review discusses the epidemiology, genetic recombination, and pathogenesis of human coronaviruses (HCoVs). HCoVs were first identified in the 1960s and include those causing the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The review highlights the evolution and recombination events that have led to outbreaks in humans, particularly in camels, which have resulted in the dominant MERS lineage responsible for human outbreaks in 2015. The ecology of HCoVs is also discussed, noting that while 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1 are well-adapted to humans, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are less so and likely spread through zoonotic reservoirs. The review details the clinical manifestations, global distribution, and transmission dynamics of each HCoV, emphasizing the potential for genetic recombination to generate novel viruses with increased virulence. Finally, the review summarizes the phylogeny, evolution, and genetic recombination of HCoVs, highlighting the high mutation rates and the role of recombination in generating novel viruses. The authors conclude by emphasizing the need for further research to understand the prevalence of HCoVs in animal populations and the potential for future outbreaks.