Middle East Respiratory Syndrome: What Clinicians Need to Know

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 travelers from the Middle East. 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. Two unrelated imported cases of MERS-CoV have been reported in the United States. Neither a vaccine nor effective therapy against the virus is available. International cooperation and information sharing will be key to understanding and ending the MERS-CoV outbreak.