MERS COULD BE AIRBORNE, RESEARCH INDICATES

Infectious Disease

MERS Could Be Airborne, Research Indicates

   Joan E. Greve @joan_e_greve

July 22, 2014
The disease has already claimed 288 lives

Findings from a scientific paper published Tuesday indicated that Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) may be able to spread through the air.

A research team in Saudi Arabia collected air samples from a camel barn that the virus had previously plagued. Their analysis of the air sample tested positive for a strain of MERS RNA, CNN reports.

The possibility of MERS as an airborne illness has been previously floated after reports said that some of those infected previously had close contact to fellow MERS patients. The disease has claimed at least 288 live, according to the World Health Organization.

However, scientists are hesitant to jump to conclusions from these findings. “What they say is that virus particles can be airborne, but it’s premature to conclude that MERS is transmitted through aerosols,” said Dr. Mark Denison, a Vanderbilt University School of Medicine professor.

“Do we still need to consider the possibility of airborne transmission?” Denison added. “Yes, of course.”

[CNN]