Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV): An Updated Overview and Pharmacotherapeutics

Abstract

In 2012, a novel human coronavirus (CoV) associated with severe respiratory tract infection, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) was first recognized and since then 1401 patients were infected across the world (26 countries) with this virus, 543 (~39%) of which died. The diseases present severe respiratory infection often with shock, acute kidney injury and coagulopathy. Its human-to-human transmission through close contact has raised a global concern about its potential pandemic. This review describes the strategies used to develop effective pharmacotherapeutics for MERS-CoV, which are based on the experience gained from SARS-CoV outbreak in 2003.