Demographic Variations of MERS-CoV Infection among Suspected and Confirmed Cases: An Epidemiological Analysis of Laboratory-Based Data from Riyadh Regional Laboratory

Abstract

Introduction. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus was first recognized in September 2012 in Saudi Arabia. The clinical presentations of MERS and non-MERS SARI are often similar. Therefore, the identification of suspected cases that may have higher chances of being diagnosed as cases of MERS-CoV is essential. However, the real challenge is to flag these patients through some demographic markers. The nature of these markers has not previously been investigated in Saudi Arabia, and hence, this study aims to identify them. Methods. It was a surveillance system-based study, for which data from a total of 23,646 suspected patients in Riyadh and Al Qassim regions were analyzed from January 2017 until December 2017 to estimate the prevalence of MERS-CoV among suspected cases and to determine potential demographic risk factors related to the confirmation of the diagnosis. Results. Of 23,646 suspected cases, 119 (0.5%) were confirmed by laboratory results. These confirmed cases (67.2% of which were males) had a mean age of 43.23 years (SD ± 22.8). Around 42.2% of the confirmed cases were aged between 41 and 60 years and about 47% of confirmed cases had their suspected specimen tested in the summer. The study identified three significant and independent predictors for confirmation of the disease: an age between 41 and 60 years, male gender, and summer season admission. Conclusion. The study provides evidence that the MERS-CoV epidemic in the subject regions has specific characteristics that might help future plans for the prevention and management of such a contagious disease. Future studies should aim to confirm such findings in other regions of Saudi Arabia as well and explore potential preventable risk factors.

SARS-CoV-2, the other face to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV: Future predictions

“…Altamimi et al. reported 119 confirmed cases during 2017 in the capital and central region of Saudi Arabia, in 2016 the number of cases was 48.7% higher than 2017 and 25.4% lower than 2015 reported cases these findings were supported in other researches [ 21 , 24 ]. Although SARS-CoV-2 is more transmissive when compared to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV has higher severity and mortality, according to available data and such findings were confirmed in Yi et al.…”

“…A study was carried out during 2017 by Altamimi et al. in Saudi Arabia mentioned that the most MERS-CoV infected cases were recorded during summer [ 21 ]. Also, earlier study observed that the maximum number of MERS-CoV occurrence and mortalities were not recorded in the winter, but in the spring between the end of April and the beginning of May [ 22 ].…”

“…Altamimi et al. found that in 2017, 41.2% of MERS-CoV infected patients were between 41 and 60 years old [ 21 ]. According to available data the same is true for SARS-Cov-2, where individuals with mean age of 60 years and older showed increased susceptibility [ 36 ].…”

Early geography of the coronavirus disease outbreak in Nigeria

“…Similarly, the fact that this strain has never been encountered in Africa, just as the strain of SARS-CoV-2 (before now) has made the scare less anticipated. However, even though virtually 80% of the recounted MERS-CoV cases have been in Saudi Arabia alone, about 2519 cases and 866 associated fatalities between 2012 and 31st January 2020 ( https://www.who.int/csr/don/24-february-2020-mers-saudi-arabia/en/ ), makes it an important infection Africa must be wary of (Altamimi et al 2020 ). According to WHO, several travel-related cases have already befallen Greece, Germany, France, Philippines, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Egypt, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, South Korea, Algeria, Austria, China, and the United States (WHO 2019 ).…”

“…According to WHO, several travel-related cases have already befallen Greece, Germany, France, Philippines, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Egypt, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, South Korea, Algeria, Austria, China, and the United States (WHO 2019 ). To date, the major plague of MERS-CoV, after Saudi Arabia, happened in South Korea from May through July of 2015, with 186 stated cases and 39 deaths to make a 21% case fatality rate (Altamimi et al 2020 ). It will, therefore, be instructive, for Africa to brace up to the challenge of a future possibility of a MERS-CoV outbreak.…”