Antiviral Treatment Guidelines for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

Author: Yong Pil CHONG ¹ ; Joon Young SONG ; Yu Bin SEO ; Jae Phil CHOI ; Hyoung Shik SHIN
Author Information

1. Department of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: MERS; Coronavirus; Antiviral; Treatment
MeSH: Antiviral Agents; Communicable Diseases; Coronavirus; Cough; Cross Infection; Diagnosis; Dyspnea; Fever; Humans; Middle East*; Mortality; Pneumonia; Republic of Korea; Respiratory System; Saudi Arabia
From:Infection and Chemotherapy 2015;47(3):212-222
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by the new betacoronavirus (MERS coronavirus, MERS-CoV), which shows high mortality rates. The typical symptoms of MERS are fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and it is often accompanied by pneumonia. The MERS-CoV was introduced to Republic of Korea in May 2015 by a patient returning from Saudi Arabia. The disease spread mostly through hospital infections, and by the time the epidemic ended in August, the total number of confirmed diagnoses was 186, among which 36 patients died. Reflecting the latest evidence for antiviral drugs in the treatment of MERS-CoV infection and the experiences of treating MERS patients in Republic of Korea, these guidelines focus on antiviral drugs to achieve effective treatment of MERS-CoV infections.