Skip to main content

Advertising Disclaimer »

Main menu

  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • AAP Policy
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Policy
  • Pediatric Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Racism and Its Effect on Pediatric Health
    • More Collections...
  • Multimedia
    • Video Abstracts
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • Insights
  • AAP Career Center
  • Subscribe
  • Other Publications
    • American Academy of Pediatrics

User menu

  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Academy of Pediatrics

AAP Gateway

Advanced Search

AAP Logo

  • Log in
  • My Cart
  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • AAP Policy
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Policy
  • Pediatric Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Racism and Its Effect on Pediatric Health
    • More Collections...
  • Multimedia
    • Video Abstracts
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • Insights
  • AAP Career Center
  • Subscribe
NEWS AND FEATURES

CDC reports first U.S. case of MERS

AAP News May 2014, E140502-1; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/aapnews.20140502-1
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
Loading
Download PDF
  • Copyright © 2014, The American Academy of Pediatrics

The first U.S. case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has been reported in Indiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While the MERS virus is of great concern because of its virulence, the U.S. case “represents a very low risk to the broader general public,” said Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of the CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a CDC telebriefing held May 2.

The patient, who is in stable condition in an Indiana hospital, is a health care provider who traveled from Saudi Arabia on April 24, flying from Riyad to London to Chicago, and then by bus to Indiana before being hospitalized April 28.

“In this interconnected world we live, we expected this … to (eventually) occur in the United States, and we are prepared,” said Dr. Schuchat. “It’s another reminder that diseases are just a plane ride away.”

The CDC is working closely with the Indiana State Department of Health, as well as other agencies to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the patient. In addition, the CDC and the World Health Organization are collaborating as part of an ongoing public health investigation.

To date, 262 people in 12 countries are confirmed to have MERS infection, and 93 have died. The virus, new to humans, first was reported in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012. All of the cases have been linked to six countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula.

Health care providers should remain vigilant, said Dr. Schuchat. While children as young as 2 years old have been infected with MERS, the median age is 51. General precautions include frequent hand-washing, and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth if hands are not clean, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.

Health care professionals should evaluate patients for MERS-CoV infection if they develop fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after traveling from countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula. They also should evaluate patients for MERS-CoV infection if they have had close contact with a symptomatic recent traveler from this area who has fever and acute respiratory illness.

When evaluating infants, children or adults with respiratory symptoms associated with fever, a good travel history is essential, Dr. Schuchat said.

For more information, visit the CDC web page at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/MERS/. The Indiana State Department of Health has guidance at http://www.in.gov/isdh/25796.htm.

PreviousNext
Back to top

Advertising Disclaimer »

In this issue

AAP News: 36 (10)
AAP News
Vol. 36, Issue 10
1 Oct 2015
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
View this article with LENS
PreviousNext
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Academy of Pediatrics.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
CDC reports first U.S. case of MERS
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Academy of Pediatrics
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Academy of Pediatrics web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Request Permissions
Article Alerts
Log in
You will be redirected to aap.org to login or to create your account.
Or Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
CDC reports first U.S. case of MERS
AAP News May 2014, E140502-1; DOI: 10.1542/aapnews.20140502-1

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
CDC reports first U.S. case of MERS
AAP News May 2014, E140502-1; DOI: 10.1542/aapnews.20140502-1
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Print
Download PDF

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Strong stance
    AAP releases multiple policies to protect youths from tobacco, nicotine
  • Address causes of climate change to help alleviate effects on children: AAP
  • AAP policy cites harms of e-cigarettes; urges screening
Show more NEWS AND FEATURES

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Infectious Diseases
    • Infectious Diseases
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • 2021 AAP Journals Catalog
  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatrics in Review
  • Hospital Pediatrics
  • NeoReviews
  • AAP Grand Rounds
  • AAP Career Center
  • shopAAP
  • AAP.org
  • AAP News
  • Visit AAP News on Facebook
  • Follow AAP News on Twitter
American Academy of Pediatrics

© 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics