What is the MERS virus? Coronavirus MERS CoV - symptoms, treatment, routes of infection
Over the past weekend, Saudi Arabia confirmed 20 more cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which, together with previous cases, amounted to 49 infectious patients in six days. This was an alarming indicator of the spread of the disease, which kills one in three people infected and has no cure.
MERS is a previously unknown coronavirus that was first discovered in Saudi Arabia two years ago. WITH According to a statement by Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health officials on the official website,224 residents of the kingdom were infected with the virus, of whom 76 died.
However, Health Minister Abdullah
al-Rabia told reporters that there is no scientific evidence yet to justify the use of preventive precautions, such as restrictions on movement or travel outside the country.He said he did not know the reason for the increase in cases in Jeddah, but said it could be due to a seasonal surge in the spread of the disease, as last year there was also an increase in cases of the infection in April and May.
Another hotspot for the spread of this virus is observed in the United Arab Emirates, and Yemeni authorities also confirm that that one case of infection has been identified in the country.
There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment for the MERS virus, while doctors in Saudi Arabia and a number of representatives of international medical organizations say that the disease, first discovered in camels, is not widespread among people, and the wave of diseases should soon subside.
However, health experts have warned that the MERS virus has the potential to mutate. The alarming fact is that in the last two weeks To The number of officially confirmed cases of the virus in Saudi Arabia has suddenly increased.
To reassure the public The country's authorities have issued several statements saying there is no cause for concern about the recent spread of the disease as it does not meet the international definition of an epidemic.
Rabia said that the ministry has attracted cooperation on vaccine developmentfive companies from Europe and North America, and representatives of these companies will soon arrive in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, is expecting a surge of pilgrims in July during the annual fasting month of Ramadan, followed by millions more arriving in October for the hajj to Mecca.
NEW INFECTIONS
Malaysian health officials said last week that one of the country's citizens had been infected with the virus after a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Rumors of unreported cases of infection are periodically discussed in the Saudi media. Last week, the government urged journalists to report only on cases that had been officially confirmed by the health ministry.
Most of the new cases are being found in the port city of Jeddah, where 37 cases, including seven deaths, have been reported since last Monday. Another 10 cases of infection, of which only one was fatal so far, were recorded in the capital Riyadh. There were also new cases confirmed in Najran province and Medina city.
Last week, several more infections were reported in the neighboring United Arab Emirates and Yemen, where the first case was discovered. UAE News Agency,WAM, reported that 12 new cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed, which were identified during “routine checks” of people who came into contact with patients.
WAM quoted authorities as saying the patients were in hospital and “do not pose a danger to the public or other patients.” The statement also says that according to doctors' forecasts, patients will be discharged in 10-14 days.
The official and generally accepted name of the coronavirus is “Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirinae” (MERS-CoV, in Russian abbreviation MERS-CoV). This new and almost unstudied type of the Betacoronavirus virus has excited not only epidemiologists in recent weeks, more and more people in different parts of the world have begun to become interested in the symptoms and methods of treatment for the MERS CoV coronavirus, because according to leading media reports, MERS CoV leaves very little chance of survival infected.
Should we really be afraid of coronavirus? Russian scientists and doctors are already asking themselves these questions.
The first cases of MERS CoV coronavirus infection
These types of viruses, discovered back in the 60s, received their original “crown” name because of the villi on their shell. Their shape exactly follows the outline of the solar corona during an eclipse. It is these coronaviruses that cause many respiratory infections in animals and humans.
The MERS-CoV coronavirus was first identified several years ago, and the first diagnosed human infection caused death; doctors first recorded infection and death from the MERS coronavirus in 2012 in Saudi Arabia - then a 60-year-old man became a victim of the virus. The next place where we encountered a new type of virus was Qatar, where similar symptoms were confirmed in a 49-year-old patient. This time, the research was carried out on a larger scale - special laboratories belonging to the Public Health Protection Agency in North London were involved. The World Health Organization sounded the alarm when it became clear that scientists had encountered a new strain of the virus. This infection has never been identified in either animals or humans.
WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan has raised concerns that the new coronavirus has the ability to spread faster than capabilities and effective methods can be found to combat it. According to the latest data, as of the summer of 2015, 64 cases of infection with Middle East respiratory coronavirus syndrome have already been laboratory confirmed. Of these, 38 deaths were recorded. Residents of Germany, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, Tunisia, UAE, Great Britain, Jordan, and Qatar were infected. As you can see, the mortality rate from MERS CoV is quite high.
Possible routes of infection with the MERS CoV virus
The main danger is the fact that the new virus has the ability to be transmitted by airborne droplets, that is, like a normal one. The possibility of infection is quite high when, even during ordinary close communication over a long period of time, the infection can be transmitted to an opponent. If the infected person just coughs and sneezes, that will be enough. However, there are no vaccination options against coronavirus exposure yet.
The incubation period lasts one to two weeks. The Agency for the Protection of Public Health has expressed the opinion that the transmission of the virus is limited. Otherwise, the area covered and the number of cases would be presented in completely different figures - more globally.
Infectious disease specialist and microbiologist S. Wiles, representing the University of Auckland, noted in an interview with the Guardian newspaper that most infections occurred in hospitals where infected patients were subsequently treated for completely different diseases, as, for example, happened in France. From here we can draw a parallel and find diseases that can make a person more vulnerable to a new type of virus.
Symptoms of MERS coronavirus in humans
Experts do not yet have complete information about the real symptoms and risks of infection. In almost all recorded cases, patients experience the following symptoms: high fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and increasing cough. But these symptoms have not been fully studied as a typical reflection of an infectious disease.
Unfortunately, it is still too early to talk about a proven treatment method in this case. Initially, it is important to place maximum emphasis on treating the respiratory tract and quickly restoring its functions. According to information provided by the chief state sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation, medications used in the treatment of hepatitis C and other extensive viral infections have a clear therapeutic effect on coronavirus.
Quite often, the newest type of infection is compared with SARS, which is also caused by the presence of coronavirus in the body. And although some similarities can indeed be observed, this point has not yet been proven in laboratory studies.
The danger of infection with the MERS coronavirus in Russia
There has been talk for a long time that the coronavirus may well penetrate into Russian territory. In this regard, employees of Rospotrebnadzor are carrying out a list of anti-epidemic measures, the action of which is aimed at preventing the spread of infection to us. The regions of Primorye and Sakhalin - places of intense air traffic with South Korea and population migration - are the most worrying.
In addition, if you wish or need to visit the countries of the Middle East, doctors advise adhering to at least basic rules of hygiene. On such trips it is important:
- use soap or disinfectant wipes when washing your hands;
- if you suspect exposure to diseases, reduce communication with these people;
- If possible, avoid places with large crowds of people.
Moreover, if you experience a feeling of malaise, poor health, or symptoms of ARVI, you must contact a specialist as soon as possible for examination and testing. In addition, it is important at this time to use handkerchiefs, respiratory masks and try to communicate with others as little as possible.
Global processes, including human economic activity, are to blame for the wide variety of diseases and their lightning-fast spread across the globe. Over 200 years, the planet's population has increased 7 times - from 1 to 7 billion. This has forced people to extract more and more resources, while negatively impacting nature - since 1950, people have been changing ecosystems faster and more deeply than ever before.
The accessibility and freedom of travel to any, even the most remote corner of the Earth has led to the outbreak of outbreaks of diseases in different countries that were previously exclusively regional in nature, for example, found only on the African continent, like West Nile fever, which is now widespread in many countries, including Ukraine.
These global changes, as well as the uncontrolled use of antibiotics, have caused pathogens to change, becoming more dangerous, contagious and deadly.
One of the latest deadly microorganisms in the world has become the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV (from the English Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). Because of this disease, humanity may be on the verge of a new pandemic.
The chief freelance infectious disease specialist of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, head of the department of infectious diseases of the National Medical University named after A.A. told Komsomolskaya Pravda about why the new virus is so dangerous and whether it threatens Ukrainians. Bogomolets Olga Golubovskaya.
MUTANT KILLERS
The global changes taking place in the world have not spared the world of microorganisms - unfortunately, we currently live in an era of evolution and adaptation of microorganisms, the growth of practically uncontrollable viral infections, and resistance to antimicrobial drugs. In addition, in just a few decades, the world has learned more than 25 new infectious diseases that it had never heard of before, says Golubovskaya.
As it turns out, one of the most dangerous trends of modern viruses is their ability to overcome interspecies barriers. Infection occurs not only between a certain type of animal, but also from animals to humans. Scientists have not yet figured out exactly how this happens. For example, the well-known bird flu has never been transmitted to people before, and the same applies... to MERS. It is believed that the coronavirus suddenly “reclassified” first from flying foxes to camels, and then to people. By the way, there is an opinion that HIV also came to us from monkeys.
HIGHEST DANGER
Viruses that have crossed the interspecies barrier are primarily dangerous because, on the one hand, they are completely unpredictable, and, on the other hand, the diseases they cause are accompanied by high mortality. For example, the mortality rate from bird flu ranges from 30 to 100% in different countries. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus has a mortality rate of almost 40%. In addition, the symptoms of this respiratory disease (caused by MERS) do not differentiate it from any other. The disease caused by coronavirus behaves like a common cold. In addition, modern medicine does not have specific means of influencing the virus that could provide much lower mortality; today, all treatment is reduced to almost symptomatic therapy. When the disease develops, the only hope for a favorable outcome is a timely diagnosis, one’s own immunity and correctly selected medications, says the infectious disease specialist.
Fortunately, this infection is not very contagious and is transmitted only through sufficiently close contact with the patient. Mostly health workers, close and relatives of the patient were infected.
However, it should be remembered that in the modern world, any infectious diseases spread much faster due to the current possibilities of movement, population migration, etc. While the famous Spanish flu spread throughout the world in 18 months, the 2009 pandemic flu was found on all continents just 8 weeks after it was detected in Mexico. The same applies to MERS, which was recently discovered in Saudi Arabia and then reached 23 countries. By the way, a woman with suspicion of this disease has already been hospitalized in Russia.
Limiting the spread of infectious diseases is quite difficult - the presence of an incubation period, during which a person is not yet aware of his illness, but can already be its carrier, contributes to intensive transmission of the pathogen.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is actively monitoring patients with new diseases to understand their spread and lethality. Once the numbers start to rise sharply, this will mean a significant increase in the number of cases. Then doctors will be able to stop the epidemic by taking the necessary emergency measures in time.
But MERS is not the most terrible disease that threatens Ukraine. More people are dying from severe malaria, diarrhea and hepatitis.
IS UKRAINE READY TO MEET MERS
The MERS virus can end up anywhere in the world. Ukraine is also no exception.
I think the coronavirus could appear literally anywhere in the world. If there is an infected traveler who came from the Middle East to South Korea, then why can any other country avoid it? This is the reality of today's world... I think it would be foolish for any country to believe that it will not face a similar infection in the future,” said Keiji Fukudo, assistant director general of the organization.
After the 2009 influenza pandemic and the risk of importation of the Ebola virus, we began to actively purchase all the necessary protective equipment and equipment for infectious diseases departments. In particular, in Kyiv, the Alexander Hospital is ready to receive potentially infected people at any time. Special ambulances are also ready for departure, intended for hospitalization of patients with suspected dangerous illnesses.
Considering certain similarities in the clinical manifestations of the Ebola virus and MERS (symptoms, methods of infection and the lack of special drugs), all clinics equipped for this are ready to combat the spread of the infection.
However, there is still a shortage of personal protective equipment for medical staff.
They may never be needed, but they should be there. Preferably modern, not Soviet-style, says Golubovskaya.
And what can we say about panic and economic losses for the state in the event of an epidemic of any infectious disease? That is why it is in the interests of national security to closely monitor the spread of MERS and be on alert.
Coronavirus respiratory syndrome in the Middle East (or simply MERS or Mers-CoV) is a disease transmitted by a virus. It was first described in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, when Dr. Ali Mohamed Zaki isolated the organism from a patient with severe lung disease. This virus belongs to the family coronaviruses, a type of virus that typically causes mild cold and cold symptoms. However, this coronavirus is very aggressive and completely new, it is suspected to have an animal that has mutated from the virus from bats. If the virus becomes transmitted to a person, it causes a dangerous respiratory infection that occurs with flu-like or pneumonia-like symptoms that can affect all body systems and can cause death in 3-5 people affected in 10 cases, especially if the patient is already suffering from another disease before the infection. after 2012, most cases occurred in the Middle East. The countries that are detected in the most cases are: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon. But the mobility of travelers on all continents is now a reality, so that there have been isolated cases of MERS infection in many other countries around the world, including: UK, France, USA, Greece, Egypt, Netherlands, Italy, Tunisia, Malaysia and one case in Spain. This makes RVC a global infectious disease and which has alerted all governments of the world. They are currently studying prevention methods that may be similar to those established to prevent infection Staphylococcus aureus methicillin (MRSA). Despite this, fortunately, spread from person to person is limited and outbreaks only appear in isolation in hospitals or work. The number of cases worldwide is still very low (the number of deaths from MERS is up to the global round of 200), which allows the WHO to say that by then, the disease is under control, and that, as of today, do not meet the requirements to declare a state of emergency in International Health.Causes of MERS
Head of the scary respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the Middle East is a small virus (MERS-Cow) family of coronaviruses. These viruses have been known for decades to be the leading cause of colds or upper respiratory colds. Nevertheless, virus much more aggressive MERS individually, but it is more difficult to transmit from person to person. This is also a completely new virus for our immune system, so the idea of protecting our body will be much worse.It was suspected that this virus may have mutated from another coronavirus from bats, and found genetic similarities of more than 90%.
How is RVC distributed?
RVK viral the infection is similar to other respiratory viruses. The secretions of sick people (saliva, mucus) may contain viruses that are transmitted through direct contact, coughing or sneezing. As mentioned, person-to-person spread is more limited than previously thought, and the number of reported cases has caused small outbreaks of self-containment in their immediate environment, where they live and work and the hospitals that have been reported.It was not known how the virus arrived in humans, or if it was still being transmitted from animals. Direct contact with bats, does not seem to be a possibility, although this could be the source of the virus because it does not correlate with an increase in rabies cases and it is common in animals in the Middle East. Coronavirus has been isolated from other animals such as camels. This animal, which is very common in Arab countries, may be a vehicle for entry into the human body, but is still being studied.
Once the virus reaches a person and reaches the respiratory tract, it begins to multiply in the epithelial bronchi. This causes an acute respiratory infection that quickly produces pneumonia or flu-like respiratory symptoms. The infection causes a global change in all devices and systems, and can be fatal in up to half of cases, especially if the victim had an underlying disease.
Symptoms of Merc
Mers-CoV can cause symptoms at different levels of the human body. Its method of operation is similar to influenza and other respiratory viruses. The main symptoms of Middle East coronavirus respiratory syndrome (MERS) are:- Malaise, pain in muscles and joints.
- Catarrhal symptoms with pharyngeal discomfort, coughing, sneezing, etc.
- Feeling tired or short of breath, pneumonia occurs when an obstruction of part of the lungs forms.
- Fever can be very high, exceeding 39ºC.
- Gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and vomiting.
MERS may end in patient of death in up to half of cases, although recent data shows that only 27% of patients do not overcome the infection. Not surprisingly, those most vulnerable are those with underlying medical conditions (heart failure, kidney failure, diabetes, cancer), the immunocompromised and the elderly.
It should be borne in mind that coronavirus cannot cause respiratory syndrome and be completely asymptomatic. This makes seemingly healthy people able to transmit the virus among their close contacts (family, partners, etc.). This may explain why he was unable to find the source of infection in many cases.
Diagnosis of MERS
Clinical signs and symptoms are nonspecific to MERS making it difficult to achieve a correct diagnosis. We need to think about the possibility Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the following situations:- Respiratory symptoms in people who have traveled to the Middle East in the past two weeks.
- Respiratory symptoms in people who have had close contacts with people who have traveled to the Middle East two weeks earlier.
- Respiratory symptoms in people who had contact with other sick people in MERS were diagnostically possible.
Because tests take several days to become available, a person suspected of having MERS will be isolated and you will be considered a patient under investigation ( patient under investigation, PUI). Hospitals around the world have a number of protocols that are activated in these situations.
Treatment of MERS
There is no specific treatment for MERS. Mild symptoms can be treated with non-specific drugs that relieve the patient (analgesics that reduce fever and pain, open the bronchi with aerosols, etc.).When the box is heavy there may be more invasive interventions such as dialysis if renal failure or intubation, when respiratory failure is irreversible. there is no vaccine against this coronavirus today. How MERS overcome infections depends entirely on the health status of the patient concerned and symptomatic treatment and support should be provided. They are studying new drugs and vaccines against the virus, but nothing is conclusive.
Preventative MERS-CoV
It is because of this lack of definite and effective treatment that it is best to try prevent the spread of MERS and prevent its spread, for which a number of recommended measures have been taken:- Wash your hands with soap and water for 30 seconds several times a day. If water cannot be used, a hydroalcoholic solution is used.
- Like the flu, you should sneeze and cough into a tissue or directly onto the ground, avoiding covered hands. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose to prevent contact with secretions.
- Avoid kissing and sharing utensils and cups or plates with sick people.
- There are no travel restrictions to the Middle East. If you travel there you should maintain the same hygiene measures, such as washing your hands and avoiding contact with people with cold symptoms.
- The Saudi government also recommends the use of masks and avoiding contact with camels until it has been confirmed whether these animals can transmit the virus.
- If you are a person with underlying conditions or a weak immune system, you should also avoid contact with animals, eating undercooked meat or not sanitized milk.
- If the room or house in which the casualty occurred or is suspected of being haunted, you should disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles, toys, etc.
Illustration copyright SPL Image caption The first death from the MERS virus was reported in Saudi Arabia in June 2012
The spread of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus has led to new victims in South Korea.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the new coronavirus is transmitted between people through close contact.
This is the largest outbreak of the disease outside the Middle East.
What do we know about the new virus, which in many ways resembles the already known SARS virus?
New coronavirus
It belongs to the coronavirus family, which includes many other viruses, including those that cause the common cold and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
The first cases of the new virus were reported in Saudi Arabia in June 2012.
Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption The MERS virus is easily destroyed by ordinary hygiene productsAt least 449 people have died from it so far, according to WHO.
The natural reservoir of the virus is bat populations. A number of studies have revealed the presence of antibodies to the MERS-CoV coronavirus in camels.
By the summer of 2015, cases of the disease were recorded in 23 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Egypt, Malaysia, South Korea and others.
As of June 1, 2015, there were 1,154 confirmed cases of the disease and at least 431 deaths (39%) associated with coronavirus infection. In South Korea, as of June 9, 2015, there were about 100 infected, and as of the morning of June 10, nine died.
How does the virus work?
Coronaviruses cause inflammation of the respiratory tract in humans and animals. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Infection can lead to pneumonia and renal coma. Most of those infected so far are elderly men, often weakened by other diseases.
Experts point out that little is known yet about why this coronavirus spreads in this way. It is also unclear how often people may become infected with milder forms of the disease.
How it spreads
This remains unclear. The virus may be spread by droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Illustration copyright BBC World Service Image caption The MERS virus is not yet considered highly contagiousThe fact that the virus is transmitted between people in close contact indicates that it has limited ability to spread from person to person.
According to the WHO, most cases of MERS virus infection so far have been the result of person-to-person transmission in a hospital setting.
How infection occurs remains not entirely clear.
How dangerous is the MERS virus?
Epidemiologists believe that this virus is not very contagious. If this were so, there would be many more cases of infection.
Coronaviruses are usually very unstable to external influences. Outside the body, they can survive for only 24 hours and are easily destroyed by conventional disinfectants.
British doctors emphasize that the risk of infection for the general population remains extremely low.
However, on a global scale, there is the potential for the new virus to spread and mutate. At the same time, there is no indication yet that the MERS virus can cause a pandemic.
Doctors have not yet developed effective measures to treat the sick, and patients with acute symptoms need intensive care to maintain respiratory function. There is no vaccine against the virus.
How to protect yourself from infection
It remains unclear how this virus is transmitted. However, general hygiene measures can prevent its spread - isolating sick people, frequent hand washing, wearing hygienic masks.
How the virus originated
Epidemiologists do not yet know where exactly the new virus appeared. It may have been the result of a mutation of an already existing virus.
Another possibility is that the virus was spread among animals and suddenly developed the ability to jump to humans.
Will there be restrictions on movement?
For now, WHO believes that there is no need to introduce any restrictions. If the disease continues to spread and the mechanisms of its spread are clarified, WHO recommendations may be revised.
What other viruses is MERS associated with?
Illustration copyright BBC World Service Image caption The SARS virus has infected more than 8 thousand people, mainly in China and Southeast Asia.Coronaviruses are widespread. Their name refers to the crown-like projections on the surface of the viral body.
They were first discovered in the mid-1960s.
Most coronaviruses typically infect only one species of animal or a small number of closely related species.
The SARS virus had a broader effect - it infected people and animals, including monkeys, cats, dogs and rodents.
In addition, the SARS virus spread easily among people, which is unusual for the MERS virus.
What are the consequences of the spread of the SARS virus?
The SARS virus infected more than 8,000 people, mostly in China and Southeast Asia, in an epidemic that began in early 2003. It then spread to 23 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia before the epidemic died out.
According to WHO, 774 people have died from this infection. Since 2004, there have been no new cases of infection with this virus in the world.
