📄 Risk factors for primary middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus illness in humans, Saudi Arabia, 2014

© 2016, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reseved. Risk factors for primary Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) illness in humans are incompletely understood. We identified all primary MERS-CoV cases reported in Saudi Arabia during March–November 2014 by excluding those with history of exposure to other cases of MERS-CoV or acute respiratory illness of unknown cause or exposure to healthcare settings within 14 days before illness onset. Using a case–control design, we assessed differences in underlying medical conditions and environmental exposures among primary case-patients and 2–4 controls matched by age, sex, and neighborhood. Using multivariable analysis, we found that direct exposure to dromedary camels during the 2 weeks before illness onset, as well as diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and smoking, were each independently associated with MERS-CoV illness. Further investigation is needed to better understand animal-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV.

keywords 🔗 syndrome coronavirus (1074) 🔗 dromedary camels (70) 🔗 diabetes mellitus (16) 🔗 respiratory syndrome (2004) 🔗 acute respiratory (1734)

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