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MERS-CoV

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

Spike ProteinNucleocapsidEnvelope

Description

A much more lethal cousin of SARS and COVID-19. It primarily spreads from dromedary camels to humans.

TypeCoronaviridae

ShapeSpherical with club-shaped spikes

Size125 nm

GenomePositive-sense single-stranded RNA

Discovered2012

Mortality~35%

Discovery

Discovered in 2012 by Ali Mohamed Zaki (Saudi Arabia)

Transmission

Contact with camels, respiratory droplets

Symptoms

Severe coughFeverShortness of breathKidney failure

💊 Treatment / Medicine

Supportive care

🛡️ Prevention

Avoiding contact with sick camels, hand hygiene

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MERS is often called 'Camel Flu' because camels are the main source of the virus for humans!

Structural Components

Spike Protein

Binds to DPP4 receptors in the lungs

Nucleocapsid

Helical structure containing the RNA

Envelope

Lipid bilayer stolen from the host cell

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