MERS
Medical abbreviation · Infectious Disease
| Stands for | Middle East respiratory syndrome |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
MERS stands for Middle East respiratory syndrome, an infectious disease abbreviation.
Severe respiratory illness caused by MERS-CoV, a coronavirus first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and acquired mainly from dromedary camels. About a third of reported patients have died, and limited human-to-human spread has occurred, mostly in hospitals.
Example: Fever and cough after travel to Riyadh with camel contact; isolate and test for MERS.
Usage notes
A 2015 outbreak in South Korea, traced to a single traveler, caused 186 cases and showed how quickly hospital transmission can spread. Most cases remain linked to the Arabian Peninsula. There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Pronounced "murz".
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.