MERS

MERS is a viral respiratory infection caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the genus betacoronavirus. The virus is phylogenetically distinct from SARS coronavirus and common-cold coronaviruses, classified into two genomic clades (A and B). MERS-CoV was first isolated and characterized following the identification of the initial human case in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in June 2012.

Clinical presentation of MERS ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe progressive respiratory disease. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, diarrhea, and shortness of breath, with fever being the most consistent finding (present in approximately 98% of confirmed cases). Additional manifestations include myalgia (32%), and gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting (21%) and abdominal pain (17%). Severe disease progression frequently requires mechanical ventilation, with 72% of laboratory-confirmed cases in one Saudi Arabian cohort requiring respiratory support. The disease exhibits heightened severity in individuals with underlying health conditions, and demographic data suggest a male predominance with approximately 3.3 males affected for every female.

Since its emergence in June 2012, MERS has resulted in over 2,600 laboratory-confirmed cases as of January 2021, with 45 cases reported during 2020. The majority of cases have occurred in countries of the Arabian Peninsula, though significant outbreaks have been documented outside this region, notably in South Korea in 2015 and Saudi Arabia in 2018. The zoonotic origin is believed to involve bats as the natural reservoir, with dromedary camels serving as the intermediate host responsible for spillover events to humans. The overall global public health burden remains limited by inefficient human-to-human transmission.

Human infection with MERS-CoV primarily occurs through exposure to infected dromedary camels, either through direct contact or indirect exposure to respiratory droplets. Molecular evidence demonstrates genetic identity between virus sequences isolated from camels and human cases, confirming the zoonotic transmission pathway. Human-to-human transmission is documented but requires close contact with an infected individual, and sustained community transmission has not been established. Healthcare-associated transmission accounts for the majority of secondary cases, with spread outside hospital settings being uncommon.

Individuals with pre-existing medical conditions experience more severe MERS disease outcomes. Older adults and those with compromised immune systems or chronic comorbidities are at elevated risk for severe respiratory complications. Healthcare workers face occupational exposure risk during the care of confirmed or suspected MERS patients, particularly in settings where infection prevention and control measures may be inadequate.

Source-backed prevention detail is not yet available. The Wikipedia source indicates no specific vaccine or treatment exists for MERS, and prevention strategies would logically focus on reducing camel-to-human exposure and implementing standard infection control measures in healthcare settings.

According to the World Health Organization interim case definition, a confirmed MERS case requires laboratory confirmation through molecular diagnostics, specifically either a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on at least two distinct genomic targets or a single positive target confirmed by sequencing on a second target. Testing protocols utilize real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) applied to blood and respiratory specimens. Surveillance priorities emphasize case detection in returning travelers from endemic regions and monitoring of healthcare contacts following confirmed index cases.

1. 1 Wikidata. Mers-sur-Indre.
2. 2 Wikipedia. MERS - Wikipedia.

ICD-10

U00-U49

ICD-11

1D65.1

Total cases

0

Peak month

2014-07

Coverage

2 reporting countries · 2026-01-01 → 2026-05-02