Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study
- PMID: 23891402
- PMCID: PMC7185445
- DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70204-4
Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study
Abstract
Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a new human disease caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV). Clinical data on MERS-CoV infections are scarce. We report epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 47 cases of MERS-CoV infections, identify knowledge gaps, and define research priorities.
Methods: We abstracted and analysed epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from confirmed cases of sporadic, household, community, and health-care-associated MERS-CoV infections reported from Saudi Arabia between Sept 1, 2012, and June 15, 2013. Cases were confirmed as having MERS-CoV by real-time RT-PCR.
Findings: 47 individuals (46 adults, one child) with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV disease were identified; 36 (77%) were male (male:female ratio 3·3:1). 28 patients died, a 60% case-fatality rate. The case-fatality rate rose with increasing age. Only two of the 47 cases were previously healthy; most patients (45 [96%]) had underlying comorbid medical disorders, including diabetes (32 [68%]), hypertension (16 [34%]), chronic cardiac disease (13 [28%]), and chronic renal disease (23 [49%]). Common symptoms at presentation were fever (46 [98%]), fever with chills or rigors (41 [87%]), cough (39 [83%]), shortness of breath (34 [72%]), and myalgia (15 [32%]). Gastrointestinal symptoms were also frequent, including diarrhoea (12 [26%]), vomiting (ten [21%]), and abdominal pain (eight [17%]). All patients had abnormal findings on chest radiography, ranging from subtle to extensive unilateral and bilateral abnormalities. Laboratory analyses showed raised concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (23 [49%]) and aspartate aminotransferase (seven [15%]) and thrombocytopenia (17 [36%]) and lymphopenia (16 [34%]).
Interpretation: Disease caused by MERS-CoV presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations and is associated with substantial mortality in admitted patients who have medical comorbidities. Major gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, community prevalence, and clinical spectrum of infection and disease need urgent definition.
Funding: None.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Figures
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![Figure 2](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/fb9b/7185445/372202c48d11/gr2_lrg.gif)
Comment in
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Is MERS another SARS?Lancet Infect Dis. 2013 Sep;13(9):727-8. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70159-2. Epub 2013 Jul 26. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013. PMID: 23891403 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Predicting the potential for within-flight transmission and global dissemination of MERS.Lancet Infect Dis. 2014 Feb;14(2):99. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70358-X. Lancet Infect Dis. 2014. PMID: 24457166 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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