Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus "MERS-CoV": current knowledge gaps

G R Banik¹, G Khandaker², H Rashid³

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, School of Medical and Molecular Biosciences, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: GouriRani.Banik@student.uts.edu.au.
² National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Perinatal Infection Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead and The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 26002405
PMCID: PMC7106011
DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2015.04.002

Review

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus "MERS-CoV": current knowledge gaps

G R Banik et al. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2015 Jun.

. 2015 Jun;16(3):197-202.

doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2015.04.002. Epub 2015 Apr 18.

Authors

G R Banik¹, G Khandaker², H Rashid³

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, School of Medical and Molecular Biosciences, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: GouriRani.Banik@student.uts.edu.au.
² National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Perinatal Infection Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead and The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 26002405
PMCID: PMC7106011
DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2015.04.002

Abstract

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that causes a severe lower respiratory tract infection in humans is now considered a pandemic threat to the Gulf region. Since its discovery in 2012, MERS-CoV has reached 23 countries affecting about 1100 people, including a dozen children, and claiming over 400 lives. Compared to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS-CoV appears to kill more people (40% versus 10%), more quickly, and is especially more severe in those with pre-existing medical conditions. Most MERS-CoV cases (>85%) reported thus far have a history of residence in, or travel to the Middle East. The current epidemiology is characterised by slow and sustained transmission with occasional sparks. The dromedary camel is the intermediate host of MERS-CoV, but the transmission cycle is not fully understood. In this current review, we have briefly summarised the latest information on the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of MERS-CoV especially highlighting the knowledge gaps in its transmission dynamics, diagnosis and preventive strategy.

Keywords: Dromedary; MERS-CoV; Middle East; Respiratory tract infection; SARS; Transmission chain.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

**Figure 1**
Geographical distribution of confirmed MERS-CoV cases

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Zaki A., van Boheemen S., Bestebroer T. Isolation of a novel coronavirus from a man with pneumonia in Saudi Arabia. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:1814–1820. - PubMed
1. Berry M., Gamieldien J., Fielding B.C. Identification of new respiratory viruses in the new Millennium. Viruses. 2015;7:996–1019. - PMC - PubMed
1. European Centre for Disease prevention and control (ECDC) updated rapid risk assessment on MERS-CoV. 8^th March, 2015; http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/coronavirus infections/Pages/p.... (accessed 24 April 2015).
1. Álvarez E., Donado-Campos J., Morilla F. New coronavirus outbreak. Lessons learned from the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic. Epidemiol Infect. 2015:1–12. - PMC - PubMed
1. Joob B., Wiwanitkit V. MERS-CoV. Oman Med J. 2014;29:381. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Actions
Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations
Miscellaneous
- NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus "MERS-CoV": current knowledge gaps

Affiliations

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus "MERS-CoV": current knowledge gaps

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Miscellaneous