Clinical and Epidemiologic Characteristics of Spreaders of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus during the 2015 Outbreak in Korea.
10.3346/jkms.2017.32.5.744
- Author:
Chang Kyung KANG
1
;
Kyoung Ho SONG
;
Pyoeng Gyun CHOE
;
Wan Beom PARK
;
Ji Hwan BANG
;
Eu Suk KIM
;
Sang Won PARK
;
Hong Bin KIM
;
Nam Joong KIM
;
Sung Il CHO
;
Jong Koo LEE
;
Myoung Don OH
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mdohmd@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
MERS-CoV;
Outbreak;
Hospital Infection;
Infection Transmission;
Korea
- MeSH:
Body Temperature;
Coronavirus Infections*;
Cross Infection;
Delivery of Health Care;
Disease Transmission, Infectious;
Humans;
Korea*;
Lung;
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus*;
Middle East*;
Odds Ratio;
Quarantine;
Risk Factors
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2017;32(5):744-749
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Nosocomial transmission is an important characteristic of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Risk factors for transmission of MERS-CoV in healthcare settings are not well defined. During the Korean outbreak in 2015, 186 patients had laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection. Those suspected as a source of viral transmission were categorized into the spreader groups (super-spreader [n = 5] and usual-spreader [n = 10]) and compared to the non-spreader group (n = 171). Body temperature of ≥ 38.5°C (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38–22.30; P = 0.016), pulmonary infiltration of ≥ 3 lung zones (aOR, 7.33; 95% CI, 1.93–27.79; P = 0.003), and a more nonisolated in-hospital days (aOR, 1.32 per 1 day; 95% CI, 1.09–1.60; P = 0.004) were significant risk factors in the spreader group. There was no different clinical factor between super-spreaders and usual-spreaders. Nonisolated in-hospital days was the only factor which tended to be higher in super-spreaders than usual-spreaders (Mean, 6.6 vs. 2.9 days; P = 0.061). Early active quarantine might help reducing the size of an outbreak.
