Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/7/16-0040_article
Volume 22, Number 7?July 2016
Synopsis
Response to Emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013?2014
Farida Ismail Al Hosani1, Kimberly Pringle1Comments to Author , Mariam Al Mulla, Lindsay Kim, Huong Pham, Negar N. Alami, Ahmed Khudhair, Aron J. Hall, Bashir Aden, Feda El Saleh, Wafa Al Dhaheri, Zyad Al Bandar, Sudhir Bunga, Kheir Abou Elkheir, Ying Tao, Jennifer C. Hunter, Duc Nguyen, Andrew Turner, Krishna Pradeep, Jurgen Sasse, Stefan Weber, Suxiang Tong, Brett L. Whitaker, Lia M. Haynes, Aaron Curns, and Susan I. Gerber
Author affiliations: Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (F.I. Al Hosani, M. Al Mulla, A. Khudhair, B. Aden, F. El Saleh, W. Al Dhaheri, Z. Al Bandar, K. Abou Elkheir, A. Turner, K. Pradeep); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (K. Pringle, L. Kim, H. Pham, N.N. Alami, A.J. Hall, S. Bunga, Y. Tao, J.C. Hunter, D. Nguyen, S. Tong, B.L. Whitaker, L.M. Haynes, A. Curns, S.I. Gerber); Sheikh Khalifa Medical Laboratory, Abu Dhabi (J. Sasse, S. Weber).
Abstract
In January 2013, several months after Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, began surveillance for MERS-CoV. We analyzed medical chart and laboratory data collected by the Health Authority?Abu Dhabi during January 2013?May 2014. Using real-time reverse transcription PCR, we tested respiratory tract samples for MERS-CoV and identified 65 case-patients. Of these patients, 23 (35%) were asymptomatic at the time of testing, and 4 (6%) showed positive test results for >3 weeks (1 had severe symptoms and 3 had mild symptoms). We also identified 6 clusters of MERS-CoV cases. This report highlights the potential for virus shedding by mildly ill and asymptomatic case-patients. These findings will be useful for MERS-CoV management and infection prevention strategies...
Volume 22, Number 7?July 2016
Synopsis
Response to Emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013?2014
Farida Ismail Al Hosani1, Kimberly Pringle1Comments to Author , Mariam Al Mulla, Lindsay Kim, Huong Pham, Negar N. Alami, Ahmed Khudhair, Aron J. Hall, Bashir Aden, Feda El Saleh, Wafa Al Dhaheri, Zyad Al Bandar, Sudhir Bunga, Kheir Abou Elkheir, Ying Tao, Jennifer C. Hunter, Duc Nguyen, Andrew Turner, Krishna Pradeep, Jurgen Sasse, Stefan Weber, Suxiang Tong, Brett L. Whitaker, Lia M. Haynes, Aaron Curns, and Susan I. Gerber
Author affiliations: Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (F.I. Al Hosani, M. Al Mulla, A. Khudhair, B. Aden, F. El Saleh, W. Al Dhaheri, Z. Al Bandar, K. Abou Elkheir, A. Turner, K. Pradeep); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (K. Pringle, L. Kim, H. Pham, N.N. Alami, A.J. Hall, S. Bunga, Y. Tao, J.C. Hunter, D. Nguyen, S. Tong, B.L. Whitaker, L.M. Haynes, A. Curns, S.I. Gerber); Sheikh Khalifa Medical Laboratory, Abu Dhabi (J. Sasse, S. Weber).
Abstract
In January 2013, several months after Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, began surveillance for MERS-CoV. We analyzed medical chart and laboratory data collected by the Health Authority?Abu Dhabi during January 2013?May 2014. Using real-time reverse transcription PCR, we tested respiratory tract samples for MERS-CoV and identified 65 case-patients. Of these patients, 23 (35%) were asymptomatic at the time of testing, and 4 (6%) showed positive test results for >3 weeks (1 had severe symptoms and 3 had mild symptoms). We also identified 6 clusters of MERS-CoV cases. This report highlights the potential for virus shedding by mildly ill and asymptomatic case-patients. These findings will be useful for MERS-CoV management and infection prevention strategies...