Background: Although there is evidence of person-to-person transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in household and healthcare settings, more data are needed to describe and better understand the risk factors and transmission routes in both settings, as well as the extent to which disease severity affects transmission. Methods: A seroepidemiological investigation was conducted among MERS-CoV case patients (cases) and their household contacts to investigate transmission risk in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Cases diagnosed between 1 January 2013 and 9 May 2014 and their household contacts were approached for enrollment. Demographic, clinical, and exposure history data were collected. Sera were screened by MERS-CoV nucleocapsid protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence, with results confirmed by microneutralization assay. Results: Thirty-one of 34 (91%) case patients were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and did not require oxygen during hospitalization. MERS-CoV antibodies were detected in 13 of 24 (54%) case patients with available sera, including 1 severely symptomatic, 9 mildly symptomatic, and 3 asymptomatic case patients. No serologic evidence of MERS-CoV transmission was found among 105 household contacts with available sera. Conclusions: Transmission of MERS-CoV was not documented in this investigation of mostly asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases and their household contacts. These results have implications for clinical management of cases and formulation of isolation policies to reduce the risk of transmission.
Background: Although there is evidence of person-to-person transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in household and healthcare settings, more data are needed to describe and better understand the risk factors and transmission routes in both settings, as well as the extent to which disease severity affects transmission. Methods: A seroepidemiological investigation was conducted among MERS-CoV case patients (cases) and their household contacts to investigate transmission risk in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Cases diagnosed between 1 January 2013 and 9 May 2014 and their household contacts were approached for enrollment. Demographic, clinical, and exposure history data were collected. Sera were screened by MERS-CoV nucleocapsid protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence, with results confirmed by microneutralization assay. Results: Thirty-one of 34 (91%) case patients were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and did not require oxygen during hospitalization. MERS-CoV antibodies were detected in 13 of 24 (54%) case patients with available sera, including 1 severely symptomatic, 9 mildly symptomatic, and 3 asymptomatic case patients. No serologic evidence of MERS-CoV transmission was found among 105 household contacts with available sera. Conclusions: Transmission of MERS-CoV was not documented in this investigation of mostly asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases and their household contacts. These results have implications for clinical management of cases and formulation of isolation policies to reduce the risk of transmission.
Authors: Ann T MacIntyre; Alex Hirst; Radha Duttagupta; Desiree Hollemon; David K Hong; Timothy A Blauwkamp Journal: Appl Health Econ Health Policy Date: 2020-09-17 Impact factor: 2.561
Authors: Salah T Al Awaidy; Ali Abdullah Al Maqbali; Iyad Omer; Suad Al Mukhaini; Mohammed Ali Al Risi; Majed Sultan Al Maqbali; Ali Al Reesi; Mujahid Al Busaidi; Fatma Hashim Al Hashmi; Talib Khamis Al Maqbali; Vidyanand Vaidya; Elham Said Ahmed Al Risi; Talib Khamis Al Maqbali; Ahmed Abdullah Rashid; Maryam Abdullah Hassan Al Beloshi; Arash Etemadi; Faryal Khamis Journal: J Infect Public Health Date: 2020-04-16 Impact factor: 3.718
Authors: Angkana T Huang; Bernardo Garcia-Carreras; Matt D T Hitchings; Bingyi Yang; Leah C Katzelnick; Susan M Rattigan; Brooke A Borgert; Carlos A Moreno; Benjamin D Solomon; Luke Trimmer-Smith; Veronique Etienne; Isabel Rodriguez-Barraquer; Justin Lessler; Henrik Salje; Donald S Burke; Amy Wesolowski; Derek A T Cummings Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2020-09-17 Impact factor: 14.919
Authors: Angkana T Huang; Bernardo Garcia-Carreras; Matt D T Hitchings; Bingyi Yang; Leah C Katzelnick; Susan M Rattigan; Brooke A Borgert; Carlos A Moreno; Benjamin D Solomon; Isabel Rodriguez-Barraquer; Justin Lessler; Henrik Salje; Donald Burke; Amy Wesolowski; Derek A T Cummings Journal: medRxiv Date: 2020-04-17