Replicative virus shedding in the respiratory tract of the patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.

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Replicative virus shedding in the respiratory tract of the patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.

Int J Infect Dis. 2018 May 09;:

Authors: Park WB, Poon LL, Choi SJ, Choe PG, Song KH, Bang JH, Kim ES, Kim HB, Park SW, Kim NJ, Peiris M, Oh MD

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Information on the duration of replicative Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) shedding is important for infection control. Detection of MERS-CoV subgenomic mRNAs indicates the virus is replicative. We examined the duration for detecting MERS-CoV subgenomic mRNA compared with genomic RNA in diverse respiratory specimens METHODS: From upper and lower respiratory samples of 17 MERS-CoV-infected patients, MERS-CoV subgenomic mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and MERS-CoV genomic RNA was done by real time RT-PCR.
RESULTS: In sputum or transtracheal aspirate, subgenomic mRNA was detected up to 4 weeks after symptoms developed, which correlated with the detection of genomic RNA. In oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swab specimens, detection of subgenomic mRNA and genomic RNA did not correlate.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that MERS-CoV does not replicate well in the upper respiratory tract.

PMID: 29753119 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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