Association of higher MERS-CoV virus load with severe disease and death, Saudi Arabia, 2014

Daniel R. Feikin; Basem Alraddadi; Mohammed Qutub; Omaima Shabouni; Aaron Curns; Ikwo K. Oboho; Sara M. Tomczyk; Bernard Wolff; John T. Watson; Tariq A. Madani

doi:10.3201/eid2111.150764

Association of higher MERS-CoV virus load with severe disease and death, Saudi Arabia, 2014

Daniel R. Feikin, Basem Alraddadi, Mohammed Qutub, Omaima Shabouni, Aaron Curns, Ikwo K. Oboho, Sara M. Tomczyk, Bernard Wolff, John T. Watson, Tariq A. Madani

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

76 Scopus citations

Abstract

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a spectrum of illness. We evaluated whether cycle threshold (C_t) values (which are inversely related to virus load) were associated with clinical severity in patients from Saudi Arabia whose nasopharyngeal specimens tested positive for this virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR. Among 102 patients, median C_t of 31.0 for the upstream of the E gene target for 41 (40%) patients who died was significantly lower than the median of 33.0 for 61 survivors (p = 0.0087). In multivariable regression analyses, risk factors for death were age >60 years), underlying illness, and decreasing C_t). Results were similar for a composite severe outcome (death and/or intensive care unit admission). More data are needed to determine whether modulation of virus load by therapeutic agents affects clinical outcomes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2029-2035
Number of pages	7
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	21
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2111.150764
State	Published - Nov 2015
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Epidemiology
Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases

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title = "Association of higher MERS-CoV virus load with severe disease and death, Saudi Arabia, 2014",

abstract = "Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a spectrum of illness. We evaluated whether cycle threshold (Ct) values (which are inversely related to virus load) were associated with clinical severity in patients from Saudi Arabia whose nasopharyngeal specimens tested positive for this virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR. Among 102 patients, median Ct of 31.0 for the upstream of the E gene target for 41 (40%) patients who died was significantly lower than the median of 33.0 for 61 survivors (p = 0.0087). In multivariable regression analyses, risk factors for death were age >60 years), underlying illness, and decreasing Ct). Results were similar for a composite severe outcome (death and/or intensive care unit admission). More data are needed to determine whether modulation of virus load by therapeutic agents affects clinical outcomes.",

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AU - Feikin, Daniel R.

AU - Alraddadi, Basem

AU - Qutub, Mohammed

AU - Shabouni, Omaima

AU - Curns, Aaron

AU - Oboho, Ikwo K.

AU - Tomczyk, Sara M.

AU - Wolff, Bernard

AU - Watson, John T.

AU - Madani, Tariq A.

PY - 2015/11

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AB - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a spectrum of illness. We evaluated whether cycle threshold (Ct) values (which are inversely related to virus load) were associated with clinical severity in patients from Saudi Arabia whose nasopharyngeal specimens tested positive for this virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR. Among 102 patients, median Ct of 31.0 for the upstream of the E gene target for 41 (40%) patients who died was significantly lower than the median of 33.0 for 61 survivors (p = 0.0087). In multivariable regression analyses, risk factors for death were age >60 years), underlying illness, and decreasing Ct). Results were similar for a composite severe outcome (death and/or intensive care unit admission). More data are needed to determine whether modulation of virus load by therapeutic agents affects clinical outcomes.

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Association of higher MERS-CoV virus load with severe disease and death, Saudi Arabia, 2014

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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