Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a severe respiratory illness that is caused by a specific coronavirus. The virus that causes this condition is called MERS-CoV. This virus was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012, which is why it was given its name. The symptoms of MERS are similar to COVID-19, but it is not as contagious.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that MERS is a zoonotic virus, which means that it is transmitted between animals and people. The WHO further states that the illness has been reported in 27 countries since 2012.
The symptoms of MERS can range from mild, which are a lot like the common cold, to severe. Most MERS patients develop a respiratory illness with following symptoms.
Some people also have diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms typically show up about 2-14 days after you have been exposed to the virus. For many people with MERS, more severe complications resulted, including pneumonia and kidney failure. About 3 or 4 out of every 10 people reported with MERS died due to a pre-existing medical condition that weakened their immune system.
MERS is spread from infected people to others because of close contact, for instance caring for or living with an infected person. This respiratory illness can spread to anyone, MERS patients have been infected as young as less than 1 year old to 99 years old.
Risk factors for MERS are:
You will be more at risk of contracting this illness if you have cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, or chronic kidney disease due to a weakened immune system from a pre-existing condition.
Your doctor will take a complete health history from you and ask about the symptoms that you have been experiencing. They might also use the following tests for an official diagnosis:
This test is done using material that has been coughed up by the patient. The material can be tested for the presence of MERS.
This is the most common way to test for MERS. This test is done by inserting a swab into the nose or the upper throat and collecting a sample that can be tested for the presence of MERS.
A serum sample is taken from a patient’s blood. The serum will show the white and red blood cells in the blood, which can indicate infections of various kinds.
There is no treatment for MERS and no vaccine. Doctors can only treat the symptoms of the illness. You will be sent home with instructions to rest and avoid contact with others for two weeks or until you have stopped showing symptoms of the illness. Treatment of your symptoms might include:
For severe MERS, you will likely be admitted to the hospital. Severe cases of MERS might be treated with mechanical ventilation to assist compromised lung capacity, intravenous fluids, and supplemental oxygen.
You can prevent MERS by avoiding contact with someone who has been diagnosed with it. You can also avoid travelling to the Arabian Peninsula. If you believe that you have come into contact with someone who has MERS, do not touch your eyes, mouth, or nose without washing your hands first and disinfecting and cleaning surfaces that the person might have touched. You should also stay away from sick camels and avoid eating camel’s milk or meat.