Science China. Life sciences
-
Review Case Reports
A novel human coronavirus: Middle East respiratory syndrome human coronavirus.
In 2012, a novel coronavirus, initially named as human coronavirus EMC (HCoV-EMC) but recently renamed as Middle East respiratory syndrome human coronavirus (MERS-CoV), was identified in patients who suffered severe acute respiratory infection and subsequent renal failure that resulted in death. Ongoing epidemiological investigations together with retrospective studies have found 61 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with this novel coronavirus, including 34 deaths to date. ⋯ Furthermore, molecular detection and indirect immunofluorescence assay have been developed. The present paper summarises the limited recent advances of this novel human coronavirus, including its discovery, genomic characterisation and detection.