Middle East Respiratory Syndrome: MERS

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emerging respiratory virus. It was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV infection is characterized by a spectrum of illness ranging from mild to acute and fulminant disease. The majority of patients present with fever, fever with chills/rigors, cough, shortness of breath, and dry cough. Cases of human-to-human transmission have been documented. There is currently no specific treatment and vaccination for MERS-CoV infection. Surveillance and infection-control measures are of vital importance to an efficient public health response. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2015;5(2): 93-9