MERS-CoV & Pregnancy

Recent reported cases MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) in UAE have brought a lot of anxiety to pregnant mothers.

What is MERS?
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is a severe viral illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Patient present with fever cough shortness of breath

What causes MERS Middle East Respiratory Syndrome?
MERS-CoV is a coronavirus that responsible for MERS.
It can affect the lower respiratory, kidney, intestinal (bowel) and liver cells.
Bats seem to be the primary reservoir for MERS-CoV with camel the most probable intermediate for transmission to humans.

How is MERS-CoV transmitted?
Case clusters identified till now are suggestive of human to human transmission. Possible modes of transmission are droplets and direct contact transmission. Most cluster cases have been reported in family and health care settings and have been self-limited with appropriate vigilance and isolation.
WHO believes that MERS-CoV virus has a limited potential for a pandemic.
Clinical presentation and symptoms
Most patients present with severe pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome
Some have acute renal failure
Incubation period is about 7 days

MERS-CoV and Pregnancy
There have been less of a handful cases of confirmed MERS-CoV in pregnancy. So it is very difficult to draw conclusions on the effect of MERS to pregnancy. However traditionally pregnant mother are considered to be in the high risk group for MERS complications due to the changes in their immune response and the fetal effects of a severe respiratory syndrome.
A team from Jordan and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the findings in the Journal of Infectious Diseases about a mother who has miscarried after contacting MERS-CoV.
Her case was part of a family cluster with a close relative who died from MERS-CoV and her husband who had tested positive for MERS-CoV.

Treatment and vaccines
There is no specific anti-viral treatment for MERS-COV infection. Patients are receiving supportive treatment
There are no vaccines for MERS-CoV

Prevention of MERS in pregnancy
Simple hygiene rules are very effective in preventing infection;

• Wash your hands often with soap and water and if this is not available use a sanitizer
• Avoid contact with sick people
• Avoid touching your eyes mouth and nose as germs dread this way

If you’re ill report to your doctor early and inform before you reach the clinic so appropriate arrangements can be made to avoid cross infection with other patients (separate waiting area etc)