Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus - 1715 Words

Author: John Larigakis, Boston University April, 2014 Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Since its first description in 2012 by Dr. Ali Zaki1 the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus has been confirmed in the infection of 206 individuals and has resulted in 86 deaths2. The disease resulting from MERS-CoV infection presents with a fever of greater than 100.4á µâ€™F, acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia associated with acute renal failure1. The origin of the pathogen is in the Middle East including the following countries: Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Beyond the Arabian Peninsula the following countries have also been affected: France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom2. If the number of cases, mortality, disease state and distribution of the infection are considered then it is justifiable to say that MERS-CoV is an emerging infectious disease that must be investigated, understood and followed closely in order to prevent the loss of life. MERS- CoV is a coronavirus of the subgenus known as the betacoronaviruses. It is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA species that infects the respiratory tract and kidney epithelium of both humans and animals3. This virus falls under the subgroup of betacoronaviruses known as lineage C which, up until this novel virus was identified, included isolates from bats. Indeed, the coronaviruses BtCoV-HKU4 and BtCoV-HKU5, which were onlyShow MoreRelatedMiddle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus1872 Words   |  8 PagesMiddle Eastern respiratory syndrome Coronavirus and a review into the possibilities to minimize spread of the virus. Abstract Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a deadly new Corona designated virus believed to originate on the Arabian Peninsula (Zaki et al 2012). This virus now has verified cases outside of the Arabian Peninsula including Oman, Algeria, Austria, the United States of America, the UK, Bangladesh and Turkey (Abdel-Moneim 2014). The apparent ease with whichRead MoreMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome Report Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome, also referred to as MERS-CoV, is a novel coronavirus that emerged in April 2012 in Saudi Arabia. The coronavirus causes severe repertory illness in humans in which nearly half of the reported cases have been fatal. Middle East Respiratory MERS-CoV has â€Å"also been shown to infect a range of human, primate, porcine, and bat cell lines† (Emergence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). The coronavirus was first discovered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Dr. SolimanRead MoreCoronavirus Vaccine Development : Coronaviruses1609 Words   |  7 Pages 2015 Virology Research Paper Coronavirus Vaccine Development Coronaviruses became prominent in the last 15 years after two human outbreaks brought them to society’s attention. In 2003 a coronavirus began infecting people in China. It was named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and by the end of the epidemic over 8,000 people had been infected worldwide with more than 800 deaths (Weiss and Navas-Martin 2005). In 2012 a new coronavirus strain lead to another outbreak inRead MoreMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)656 Words   |  3 PagesMERS-CoV is a respiratory disease that was first found in Saudi Arabia in 2012. This virus can cause people to get diseases such as the common cold to a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). MERS-CoV cases have been found in a few countries throughout the world, but mostly have been found in Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. Countries other than the Middle East have had MERS-CoV cases such as Germany, France, Italy, the United KingdomRead MoreThe Middle East Respiratory Syndrome1821 Words   |  8 PagesIn June 2015, the Republic of South Korea experienced an outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that was rapidly transmitted across the general population. Transmission was most active within medical institutions, specifically the emergency rooms because of their overcrowded conditions. There are several interventions that can reduce the risk for MERS outbreaks in South Korea; however, the government’s lack of response in 2015 led to an epidemic that was larger than