Epidemiol Health.
2018;40:e2018014. 10.4178/epih.e2018014.
Asymptomatic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus infection using a serologic survey in Korea
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea. moranki@ncc.re.kr
- 2Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Korea.
- 3Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
- 5Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
- 6Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
- 7Department of Preventive Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2438469
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2018014
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The rates of asymptomatic infection with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus vary. A serologic study was conducted to determine the asymptomatic MERS infection rate in healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers by exposure status.
METHODS
Study participants were selected from contacts of MERS patients based on a priority system in 4 regions strongly affected by the 2015 MERS outbreak. A sero-epidemiological survey was performed in 1,610 contacts (average duration from exposure to test, 4.8 months), and the collected sera were tested using an enzyme-linked immunespecific assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and plaque reduction neutralization antibody test (PRNT). Among the 1,610 contacts, there were 7 ELISA-positive cases, of which 1 exhibited positive IFA and PRNT results.
RESULTS
The asymptomatic infection rate was 0.060% (95% confidence interval, 0.002 to 0.346). The asymptomatic MERS case was a patient who had been hospitalized with patient zero on the same floor of the hospital at the same time. The case was quarantined at home for 2 weeks after discharge, and had underlying diseases, including hypertension, angina, and degenerative arthritis.
CONCLUSIONS
The asymptomatic infection was acquired via healthcare-associated transmission. Thus, it is necessary to extend serologic studies to include inpatient contacts who have no symptoms.
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