6 research outputs found
Virological and serological analysis of a recent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection case on a triple combination antiviral regimen
Serological, molecular and phylogenetic analyses of a recently imported
case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in
Greece are reported. Although MERS-CoV remained detectable in the
respiratory tract secretions of the patient until the fourth week of
illness, viraemia was last detected 2 days after initiation of triple
combination therapy with pegylated interferon, ribavirin and
lopinavir/ritonavir, administered from Day 13 of illness. Phylogenetic
analysis of the virus showed close similarity with other human MERS-CoVs
from the recent Jeddah outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
titres peaked 3 weeks after the onset of illness, whilst IgM levels
remained constantly elevated during the follow-up period (second to
fifth week of illness). Serological testing confirmed by virus
neutralisation assay detected an additional case that was a close
contact of the patient. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V