Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): challenges in identifying its source and controlling its spread

Lu Lu; Qi Liu; Lanying Du; Shibo Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.micinf.2013.06.003

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): challenges in identifying its source and controlling its spread

Microbes Infect. 2013 Jul-Aug;15(8-9):625-9. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2013.06.003. Epub 2013 Jun 19.

Authors

Lu Lu¹, Qi Liu, Lanying Du, Shibo Jiang

Affiliation

¹ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.

Abstract

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a novel human coronavirus that caused outbreaks of a SARS-like illness in the Middle East, is now considered a threat to global public health. This review discusses the challenges in identifying the source of this fatal virus and developing effective and safe anti-MERS-CoV vaccines and therapeutics in order to control its spread and to combat any future pandemic.

Keywords: Coronavirus; MERS-CoV; SARS-CoV; Source; Therapeutics; Vaccine.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Africa / epidemiology
Communicable Disease Control / methods
Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control
Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
Coronavirus Infections / virology
Disease Outbreaks*
Europe / epidemiology
Humans
Middle East / epidemiology
Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology*
Respiratory Tract Infections / prevention & control
Respiratory Tract Infections / transmission*
Respiratory Tract Infections / virology