TY - JOUR AU - Arwady, M. Allison AU - Alraddadi, Basem AU - Basler, Colin AU - Azhar, Esam AU - Abuelzein, Eltayb AU - Sindy, Abdulfattah AU - Sadiq, Bakr Bin AU - Althaqafi, Abdulhakeem AU - Shabouni, Omaima AU - Banjar, Ayman AU - Haynes, Lia AU - Gerber, Susan AU - Feikin, Daniel AU - Madani, Tariq T1 - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Transmission in Extended Family, Saudi Arabia, 2014 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2016 VL - 22 IS - 8 SP - 1395 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Risk factors for human-to-human transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are largely unknown. After MERS-CoV infections occurred in an extended family in Saudi Arabia in 2014, relatives were tested by using real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) and serologic methods. Among 79 relatives, 19 (24%) were MERS-CoV positive; 11 were hospitalized, and 2 died. Eleven (58%) tested positive by rRT-PCR; 8 (42%) tested negative by rRT-PCR but positive by serology. Compared with MERS-CoV–negative adult relatives, MERS-CoV–positive adult relatives were older and more likely to be male and to have chronic medical conditions. Risk factors for household transmission included sleeping in an index patient’s room and touching respiratory secretions from an index patient. Casual contact and simple proximity were not associated with transmission. Serology was more sensitive than standard rRT-PCR for identifying infected relatives, highlighting the value of including serology in future investigations. KW - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus KW - disease transmission KW - infectious KW - serologic tests KW - RT-PCR KW - viruses KW - Saudi Arabia DO - 10.3201/eid2208.152015 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/8/15-2015_article ER - End of Reference