MERS-CoV
By:
Claudia Washington Tang Blanton Susana Calderon Hillary Reed Archie McCoy
What is MERS-CoV?
Viral respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus
Coronaviruses cause diseases ranging from the common cold to
SARS
Close contact is easiest way of passing virus
Camels are likely to be major host reservoir for virus
Majority of cases have been attributed to human-to-human
infections
the virus is present in serum, feces and urine but higher
concentrations are located in lower respiratory secretions.
MERS-CoV
Virus believed to have originated in bats
Exact role of camels in transmission of the virus and route
of transmission still not known
First known cases of MERS occurred in Jordan Apr
2012
Disease first reported in Saudi Arabia in Sept 2012
Signs of infection
Influenza-like illness:
Fever with chills
Dry cough
Headache
Prominent fatigue
Sore throats
Other signs & symptoms:
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Myalgia
Nausea/vomiting
Shortness of breath
Hemoptysis
Severe Complications:
Pneumonia
Kidney Failure
Death
-Hypoxemia
-Adult Respiratory Death Syndrome
Most people die due to underlying conditions
MERS-CoV has a high mortality rate
3550% in those with no underlying risks
54% in those with 2 underlying conditions
80% in those with 34 underlying conditions
Saudi Arabia
As of July 7, 2015 Saudi Arabia accounts for
1037 of 1368 global confirmed cases.
At least 134 more cases since the beginning of
August.
90 of those 134 confirmed cases are linked to an
outbreak in a Riyadh city hospital.
The hospital has closed its emergency room to
control the spread of the virus.
South
Korea
Transmission
South Korean Man:
Patient 1
Acquires MERS
from a visit to the
Middle East.
After he returns, he
visits 4 different
hospitals
Does not report
visiting Middle
East.
South Korean Man:
Patient 1
Initially discharged
from first 2
hospitals.
Diagnosed with
MERS-CoV at the
fourth hospital
visited.
Infected a total of
36 people.
Secondary
Transmissions:
Patient 14
Infected by Patient 1
Infected 86
additional people.
At least 70
infections were
through the
emergency room.
Exposed at least
893 patients and
Hospital Acquired
Infections -
South Korea
For the South Korean outbreak,
between 75 and 89% of
transmissions can be linked to just
3 hospitals.
No known zoonotic reservoir of
MERS-CoV in South Korea.
No evidence of community
transmission.
Spread almost entirely through
hospitals.
First Outbreak in South Korea
The outbreak in South Korea has been traced to
a 68-year-old man who returned from a trip to
the Middle East in May and sought medical help
at 4 hospitals before being diagnosed with the
MERS virus.
The health ministry in Seoul also confirmed three
new cases, taking the total to 185 in an
outbreak that is the largest outside Saudi
Arabia, but has shown signs of slowing credited
to wide-reaching control measures.
185 Cases of MERS-CoV have been found in South
Korea
Steps South Korea took
More than 700 schools were
shut down because of the
fear of spreading the
MERS-CoV Virus
Started taking kids
temperature at
schools which have
reopened
Infection Control
No known zoonotic reservoir of
MERS-CoV in South Korea.
People Who May Be at Increased Risk for
MERS-CoV
Travels who have visited Arabian Peninsula or close contact with travelers who have.
People recently treated in a healthcare facility in the Republic of Korea
Having close contacts with an individual confirmed with MERS-CoV
Healthcare personnel not using infection control precautions
People exposed to camels
People with Diabetes, kidney failure, chronic lung disease and weakened immune systems
Treatment
At this moment there is no antiviral treatment available and a vaccine has not been made to prevent the
MERS-CoV infection.
The only type of treatment for individuals who are currently infected is to relieve pain of symptoms.
Prevention
The CDC has advised everyone to protect themselves and the people they come
in contact with.
Preventative actions include:
Washing your hands often making sure to wash for 20 seconds and make
sure young children are doing the same. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer are
also effective.
When sneezing be sure to cover your nose and mouth to eliminate saliva
depre and wear a face mask around those infected
If a person is sick avoid close contact ex. kissing, sharing cups or eating
utensils
Make sure to clean commonly touched areas ex. doorknobs
Are you ok to travel?
The CDC and the World Health Organization are closely monitoring the virus but
are not currently suggesting changing your plans to visit the Middle East or other
places where the virus has be reported.
Questions
What are some preventative actions to minimise the spread of MERS- Where was MERS-Cov 1st reported?
CoV?
first reported in September 2012 in
Washing your hands Saudi Arabia
Cover nose and mouth when coughing
Avoid touching mouth, eyes, and nose with unwashed hands
Avoid personal contact with sick people
Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces
World Health Organization - Information
World Health Organization - Information
Bibliography
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,. (2015). Prevention & Treatment. Retrieved 14 May 2015, from
http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/about/prevention.html
Cowling, B., Park, M., Fang, V., Wu, P., Leung, G., & Wu, J. (2015). Preliminary epidemiological assessment of MERS-CoV outbreak in
South Korea, May to June 2015. Eurosurveillance, 20(25), 21163.
Mayo Clinic,. (2015). Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Retrieved 2015 from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sars/expert-answers/what-is-mers-cov/faq-20094747
Who.int,. (2015). WHO | Summary of Current Situation, Literature Update and Risk Assessment. Retrieved 13 October 2015, from
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/risk-assessment-7july2015/en/
World Health Organization,. (2015). Coronavirus infections. Retrieved 13 October 2015, from
http://www.who.int/csr/don/archive/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/
Yu, X., Zhang, S., Jiang, L., Cui, Y., Li, D., Wang, D., Wang, N., Fu, L., Shi, X., Li, Z., Zhang, L., & Wang, X. (2015). Structural basis
for the neutralization of MERS-CoV by a human monoclonal antibody MERS-27. Scientific Reports, 5, 1-11.
Cunha, C. B., & Opa, S. M. (2014). Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Virulence, 5(6), 650-654. doi:10.4161/viru.32077
Al-Tawfiq, J. A., Hinedi, K., Ghandour, J., y, H., Musleh, S., Ujayli, A., & Memish, Z. A. (2014). Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
Coronavirus: A Case-Control Study of Hospitalized Patients. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 59(2), 160-16
Hijawi, B., Abdallat, M., Sayaydeh, A., Alqasrawi, S., Haddadin, A., & Jaarour, N. et al. (2013). Novel coronavirus infections in Jordan,
April 2012: epidemiological findings from a retrospective investigation. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 19(1), S12-S18.
