Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]

Overview

MERS-CoV is caused by a lineage C betacoronavirus, an enveloped, spherical (120 nm in diameter), single-stranded, positive-strand RNA virus that belongs to the familyCoronaviridaeof the orderNidovirales. The natural reservoir of MERS-CoV is unknown, but bats are thought to be the most likely natural reservoir. MERS-CoV is thought to have a zoonotic activity, whereby transmission occurs from animals to humans. Limited data is available to confirm or rule out human-to-human transmission.

Causes

MERS-CoV is caused by a lineage C betacoronavirus.

Taxonomy

Betacoronavirus is an enveloped, spherical (120 nm in diameter), single-stranded, positive-strand RNA virus that belongs to the family Coronaviridae of the order Nidovirales.

Genome

The betacoronavirus contains a genome composed of 30,119 nucleotides that encodes structural and non-structural proteins. The genome is considered the largest among all RNA virus genomes, reaching 27-32 kb in size.

Tropism

MERS-CoV has a strong tropism for the non-ciliated bronchial epithelium.
Less commonly, MERS-CoV may primarily infect cells of the GI tract or the neurological system.

Transmission

MERS-CoV is thought to have a zoonotic activity, whereby transmission occurs from animals to humans.
Although bats are the natural host of the betacoronavirus, it is unknown if MERS coronavirus transmission to humans is through bats, through an intermediate animal hosts following crossover and subsequent adaptation, or through a completely different host.
Limited data is available to confirm or rule out human-to-human transmission.

Natural Reservoir

The natural reservoir of MERS-CoV is unknown.
The following are thought to be the natural reservoirs of MERS-CoV:
- Bats (The majority of reports hypothesized that bats are the natural reservoir of MERS-CoV)
- Camels
- Goats

Gallery

TEM reveals ultrastructural morphology of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural morphology of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural morphology of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) viral particles. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virion. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by three spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virions. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by a number of spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virions. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by a number of red-colored, spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virions. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by five spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virions, which were colorized yellow. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by a single, spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virion. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
TEM reveals ultrastructural details exhibited by a single, spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virion. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
SEM reveals ultrastructural details at the site of interaction of two spherical-shaped Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) viral particles, colorized blue, that were on the surface of a camel epithelial cell, colorized red. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]
SEM reveals ultrastructural details at the site of interaction of numerous yellow-colored Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) viral particles on the surface of a Vero E6 cell (blue). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]