Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

Infectious agent:  Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Description of illness: Illness is primarily of the respiratory tract with a wide clinical spectrum. Severe disease is characterized by fever and pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) while milder illness generally manifests as fever and milder symptoms of respiratory illness such as cough or shortness of breath.