Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Background

• New coronavirus was first described in September 2012, when it was reported to have caused fatal

acute lower respiratory illness in a man in Saudi Arabia.

• As of May 16, 2013, no cases in the US

Diagnosis

1. Criteria for MERS-CoV infection:
   1. Suspicion of pulmonary parenchymal disease (e.g., pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome based on clinical or radiological evidence of consolidation); AND
   2. History of travel within the past 10 days to the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries (Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen); AND
   3. Illness is not already explained by any other infection or etiology, including all clinically indicated tests for community-acquired pneumonia.
2. In addition, the following persons may be considered for evaluation for MERS-CoV infection:
   1. Persons who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness of known etiology within 10 days after traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries but who do not respond to appropriate therapy; OR
   2. Persons who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness who are close contacts of a symptomatic traveler who developed fever and acute respiratory illness within 10 days of traveling from the AP or neighboring countries.

Treatment

Immediately contact the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program (ACDC) at 213-240-7941, ask for the Administrator on Duty (AOD), if a patient meets criteria

See Also

The CDC guidance on MERS-CoV is available at [1]