Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus: An Emerging Infection

A severe viral illness caused by a newly discovered coronavirus was first reported in the Middle East in 2012. The virus has since been named the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). MERS-CoV cases have been reported in several countries around the world in travellers from the Middle East., A substantial number of Indians live and work in Gulf countries. People from India also travel to Saudi Arabia as Pilgrims to Hajj. The illness has a high mortality rate. Limited human-to-human transmission has occurred including transmission to health care workers. The source of the virus remains unclear, but camels are a possible source. Since April 2012 and as of 20 February 2015, 1042 cases (including 419 deaths) of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been reported by local health authorities worldwide. Laboratory confirmation of MERS-CoV infections to date has largely been by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) of lower respiratory tract specimens. Neither a vaccine nor effective therapy against the virus is available. Treatment consists of limited to supportive care, including mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure and/or hemodialysis in the setting of renal failure. Therapeutic modalities based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have shown clinical success in the treatment of many diseases.