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Infectious Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

HIGH SEVERITY

A viral respiratory illness caused by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). First reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Transmitted from camels to humans and person-to-person in close contact. Case fatality rate approximately 35%. Most cases in Arabian Peninsula.

Global Affected

2.6K

Countries

140

Symptoms

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Pneumonia
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Diarrhea
Nausea
Vomiting
Kidney failure
Severe acute respiratory distress
Septic shock
Multi-organ failure

Treatment Options

Supportive care
Oxygen therapy
Mechanical ventilation
ECMO (severe cases)
IV fluids
Treatment of secondary infections
Renal replacement therapy
Experimental therapies
Convalescent plasma
Monoclonal antibodies (research)

Risk Factors

1Contact with camels
2Consuming raw camel milk/urine
3Healthcare worker exposure
4Close contact with infected patients
5Travel to Arabian Peninsula
6Underlying medical conditions
7Immunocompromised status
8Age over 65

Diagnostic Methods

  • 1RT-PCR for MERS-CoV RNA
  • 2Serology (ELISA, IFA)
  • 3Viral culture (specialized labs)
  • 4Chest X-ray (pneumonia pattern)
  • 5CT chest (ground-glass opacities)
  • 6Complete blood count
  • 7Liver and kidney function tests
  • 8Travel history to endemic areas

Prognosis

Guarded. Case fatality rate approximately 35%. Higher mortality in elderly and those with comorbidities. Recovery may take weeks to months. Some have permanent lung damage. Asymptomatic infections occur. Reinfection possible.

Prevention

  • Avoid contact with camels
  • Avoid raw camel products
  • Hand hygiene
  • Respiratory etiquette
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Isolation of patients
  • Contact tracing
  • Surveillance systems
  • Travel advisories

Research Status

No specific antiviral treatment. Supportive care only. Isolation precautions. Infection control crucial. No vaccine available. Monoclonal antibodies studied. Convalescent plasma investigated. Surveillance and rapid response. Avoid contact with camels and camel products.

Affected Countries

Saudi ArabiaUAEQatarKuwaitBHOmanYemenJordanIraqSyriaLebanonPSIsraelEgyptTunisiaAlgeriaMoroccoLibyaSudanDJSOEthiopiaERTurkeyIranPakistanSouth KoreaChinaThailandMalaysiaIndonesiaPhilippinesUnited KingdomFranceGermanyItalySpainNetherlandsBelgiumAustriaSwitzerlandUnited StatesCanadaAustraliaGreeceALSerbiaMKMEBACroatiaSloveniaBulgariaRomaniaHungarySlovakiaCzech RepublicPolandUkraineBelarusRussiaKazakhstanUzbekistanTMKGTJMNJapanIndiaBangladeshLKNPMVAfghanistanMMLAKHVietnamSingaporeBNPGFJSBVUTVKINRWSTOCKNUASPFNCWFAustraliaNew ZealandSouth AfricaAONigeriaGhanaKenyaTanzaniaUgandaRWBIDR CongoCGGAGQCMCFTDNEMaliBFBJTGCILRSLGNGWSenegalGMMRMozambiqueZambiaZimbabweMalawiBWNASZLSMGMUSCKMYTRE

Sources

  • https://www.who.int/health-topics/middle-east-respiratory-syndrome-coronavirus-mers-cov
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mers

Medical Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult healthcare professionals for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.