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General Information:
-MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is a novel coronavirus that produces a SARS-like syndrome. (You might have seen a pearl about this from us in March...)
-Since that time there have been a total of 102 laboratory-confirmed cases with 42 deaths (almost half!)
-All known cases had links to the Arabian Peninsula, although there has been some local non-sustained transmission
Relevance to the EM Physician: Consider MERS-CoV in patients with SARS-like syndrome who have traveled or had contact with someone who has traveled to the Arabian Peninsula within the past 14 days.
Bottom Line: Ask about recent travel in patients with severe acute respiratory illness. If you suspect MERS-CoV, contact your local health department.
University of Maryland Section of Global Emergency Health
Author: Andi Tenner, MD, MPH
References
http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20130605/en/
http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/interim-guidance.html