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The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), organized in the 1920s, is an international organization of member countries established to promote global transparency of animal diseases, to collect scientific information relating to international animal disease control, and to develop standards for international trade of animals and animal products. The OIE is also tasked with disseminating information about emerging zoonotic diseases that have the potential for transmission to humans. Recently, the OIE provided a summary of its current understanding of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Update August 2014 - Questions & Answers on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) . This update provides general information about the MERS-CoV, but also has a detailed discussion about potential animal reservoirs for this coronavirus. Several patterns or mode of human transmission of MERS have been identified by the World Health Organization. Human M...

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is spreading throughout Saudi Arabia. The first known human infections of MERS-CoV occurred in 2012 in Jordan in a hospital setting.[1] Since then, more than 130+ suspected and confirmed cases have been recorded from eight countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. More than 100 cases (about 80% of all cases) have occurred in Saudi Arabia.   More concerning is that the number of cases is increasing rapidly in Saudi Arabia. In the last two weeks the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health has reported about 25 new cases.[2] Most of these new cases in Saudi Arabia appear to have been infected by human-to-human contact. It is time for public health officials to be proactive and support plans for developing a MERS-CoV vaccine. Spanish researchers have taken the first step and report that they are working towards developing a MERS-CoV candidate vaccine.[3] More MERS-CoV vaccine research is needed immediately, just in case. [1] Nove...