Chandran Deepak, Chakraborty Sandip, Chandran Diljith, Subedi Deepak, Jisha Ankitha Indu, Chopra Hitesh, Rabaan Ali A, Al-Tawfiq Jaffar A, Islam Md Rabiul, Dhama Kuldeep
Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Kerala, Kerala, India.
State Disease Investigation Laboratory, ARDD, Abhoynagar, Agartala, West Tripura, India.
Environ Health Insights. 2024 Aug 15;18:11786302241271545. doi: 10.1177/11786302241271545. eCollection 2024.
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is caused by a specific strain of the 6 types of human coronaviruses (HCoV). MERS-CoV has spread unchecked since it was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The virus most likely spreads through nosocomial and zoonotic channels. Genetic analyses suggest that bats were the initial hosts and that the disease spread to camels. Person-to-person transmission occurs with varying frequency, being most prevalent in clinical settings and the least common among the general population and among close relatives. Due to the severity of the illness, high fatality rate, potential for epidemic spread, and lack of adequate medical countermeasures, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to list MERS-CoV as a priority pathogen. While no specific antiviral medicines exist, a combination of antivirals has shown promise in recent clinical trials. Vaccines against MERS-CoV are critically needed and are currently being developed. Early diagnosis and implementing appropriate infection control measures are keys to preventing hospital-associated outbreaks. Preventive measures include avoiding raw or undercooked meats and other animal products, ensuring proper hand hygiene in healthcare settings and around dromedaries, educating the public and healthcare personnel about the disease, and adhering to other recommended practices. Countries with a high prevalence of MERS should adhere to regulations designed to limit the transmission of the virus. The recent spread of MERS-CoV highlights the importance of public awareness regarding the significance of reporting symptoms so that appropriate control measures can be adopted. The narrative review discusses the incidence of MERS, its clinical presentation, potential transmission routes, recent reports, preventative and control measures, and current therapeutic options.
中东呼吸综合征（MERS）由6种人类冠状病毒（HCoV）中的一种特定毒株引起。中东呼吸综合征冠状病毒（MERS-CoV）自2012年在沙特阿拉伯首次发现以来便不受控制地传播。该病毒很可能通过医院感染和人畜共患病途径传播。基因分析表明，蝙蝠是最初的宿主，且该疾病传播到了骆驼身上。人际传播的发生频率各不相同，在临床环境中最为普遍，在普通人群和近亲中最不常见。由于该疾病的严重性、高死亡率、潜在的流行传播可能性以及缺乏足够的医疗应对措施，世界卫生组织（WHO）继续将MERS-CoV列为重点病原体。虽然不存在特定的抗病毒药物，但抗病毒药物组合在最近的临床试验中已显示出前景。迫切需要针对MERS-CoV的疫苗，目前正在研发中。早期诊断和实施适当的感染控制措施是预防医院相关疫情爆发的关键。预防措施包括避免食用生肉或未煮熟的肉类及其他动物产品，在医疗机构和单峰骆驼周围确保正确的手部卫生，对公众和医护人员进行该疾病的教育，并遵守其他推荐做法。MERS患病率高的国家应遵守旨在限制病毒传播的规定。MERS-CoV最近的传播凸显了公众意识到报告症状的重要性的意义，以便能够采取适当的控制措施。这篇叙述性综述讨论了MERS的发病率、临床表现、潜在传播途径、近期报告、预防和控制措施以及当前的治疗选择。
