Transmissibility of MERS-CoV Infection in Closed Setting, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2015

To investigate a cluster of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) cases in a women-only dormitory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2015, we collected epidemiologic information, nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab samples, and blood samples from 828 residents during November 2015 and December 2015...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Emerging infectious diseases 2019-10, Vol.25 (10), p.1802-1809
Main Authors:	Van Kerkhove, Maria D, Alaswad, Sadoof, Assiri, Abdullah, Perera, Ranawaka A P M, Peiris, Malik, El Bushra, Hassan E, BinSaeed, Abdulaziz A
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Antibodies Health aspects human-to-human transmission Infection Medical tests MERS-CoV Middle East respiratory syndrome Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak investigation Polymerase chain reaction seroepidemiology Transmissibility of MERS-CoV Infection in Closed Setting, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2015 viruses
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Summary:	To investigate a cluster of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) cases in a women-only dormitory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2015, we collected epidemiologic information, nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab samples, and blood samples from 828 residents during November 2015 and December 2015-January 2016. We found confirmed infection for 19 (8 by reverse transcription PCR and 11 by serologic testing). Infection attack rates varied (2.7%-32.3%) by dormitory building. No deaths occurred. Independent risk factors for infection were direct contact with a confirmed case-patient and sharing a room with a confirmed case-patient; a protective factor was having an air conditioner in the bedroom. For 9 women from whom a second serum sample was collected, antibodies remained detectable at titers >1:20 by pseudoparticle neutralization tests (n = 8) and 90% plaque-reduction neutralization tests (n = 2). In closed high-contact settings, MERS coronavirus was highly infectious and pathogenicity was relatively low.
ISSN:	1080-6040 1080-6059