Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, aka MERS, was first
reported in 2012 and has now taken the front page of news headlines again in
November 2013. MERS is a respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.
Coronaviruses are a common human virus that can result in upper-respiratory
tract illnesses. These viruses were first identified in the 1960’s and have 5
different types. The virus spreads easily through the air by coughing or
sneezing or through contact by touching or shaking hands. Therefore, most
humans will have suffered from one of these types within their lifetime, with
symptoms such as cough, sore throat and fever.
Unfortunately, the MERS strand of coronavirus seen in or
around the Arabian Peninsula has caused serious illness and some cases have
resulted in death. People infected with this strand have experienced severe
acute respiratory illness with symptoms of cough, fever and shortness of
breath. The largest concentration of cases is in Saudia Arabia with 124 cases
and now 52 deaths since September 2012.
What is currently
being done? After the first case was found in 2012, an international team
of experts came together to set a case definition and implement surveillance
and notification standards. Information was circulated to healthcare workers.
Whenever an outbreak was cited, an emergency team would make a visit to the
specific healthcare facility. Epidemiologists have seen a higher number of
cases in older men and in people with underlying conditions. Blood testing is
done on patients with suspected condition, to look for gene targets.
Why is this virus
taking front-page headlines again? 4 more cases of the virus have been
found in Saudi Arabia and Oman, within days of one another. Patients diagnosed
with the virus range from age 23 to 89 years of age, one is a healthcare worker
and was in close contact with a previously lab-confirmed case. An Emergency
Committee has been convened under World Health Organization, but the virus has
not met the criteria for a Public Health Emergency. Healthcare workers in this
region and across the globe are encouraged to continue surveillance of these
symptoms and to report any unusual patterns. Also, recent travelers to the
Middle East who contract similar symptoms are encouraged to see their
healthcare providers.
We have talked extensively and read numerous articles about
globalization in this class. One of the downsides of globalization is the
increase in travel, thus the spread of communicable diseases. Think about how
easily MERS can travel back to the United States: An American man travels to
Saudi Arabia on business and shakes the hand of a Saudi man who is carrying the
virus. The American starts to experience symptoms of cough and fever on the
plane ride back home. After coughing into his hand on the plane, he then helps
the flight attendant pass a cup of cola to the passenger to his right. Now the
passenger to his right has picked up the virus. As his plane lands home, he has
now brought the virus back to the United States and infected at least one other
person.
I believe the Emergency Committee is the right step to
ensuring this disease does not begin to spread across the globe. It is
essential organizations such as the CDC and WHO keeps on their toes and “over-reacts”
in order to protect our global health.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/31/health/mers-virus-update/index.html?hpt=he_c2
It is interesting that you chose to write about MERS, because I was interested in learning more about this disease after traveling internationally a few weeks ago. In customs at the airport, there were warning signs that if people had the symptoms of MERS and had been in the Middle East that they needed to report to the doctor immediately and inform their healthcare provider that they had recently been in the Middle East. And although I think it is good to have these warning signs posted, I am not sure it is overly effective. As Jaci stated, if a passenger is infected with MERS by the time they gets to customs, let alone their doctor, just think of all the people they have come into contact with and potentially infected! What more can be done to protect not only their fellow travelers, but also the people in their destination country?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both that by the time someone realizes they have MERS, an innumerable number of people could be exposed and infected. Despite spreading awareness about the potential risk of getting the virus while traveling, I believe that the most difficult part is differentiating MERS from SARS from the common cold from the flu. From my personal experience while flying, I have usually experience a very dry throat while flying, due to the less-than-prime in-flight air system, and if I did get sick (usually a one-day bug of fatigue and haziness), those symptoms would usually take a few days to show up. All of the symptoms are so similar that unless there is a quick screening test in place that is available everywhere and individuals seek medical help as soon as the first symptoms appear, preventing the spreading of the disease will be very difficult. I personally don't really have an answer to containing MERS, but I am assuming that the methods employed to fight SARS could help. Unfortunately, since it is a viral disease, antibiotics will be ineffective so preventative measures such as wearing masks and hand washing will help minimize the spread of MERS
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