Table 2. Demographic and exposure characteristics of survivors with prolonged MERS-CoV detection, Saudi Arabia, August 1, 2015–August 31, 2016*.
| Characteristic | Total, N = 19 | Days to negativity |
p value† | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <11 d, n = 11 | >11 d, n = 8 | |||
| Demographics | ||||
| Sex | ||||
| M | 13/19 (68) | 6/11 (55) | 7/8 (88) | 0.177 |
| F | 6/19 (32) | 5/11 (45) | 1/8 (12) | |
| Nationality | ||||
| Saudi | 10/19 (53) | 5/11 (45) | 5/8 (63) | 0.650 |
| Non-Saudi | 9/19 (47) | 6/11 (55) | 3/8 (37) | |
| Age group, y | ||||
| 25–44 | 14/19 (74) | 9/11 (82) | 5/8 (63) | 0.262 |
| 45–64 | 4/19 (21) | 1/11 (9) | 3/8 (38) | |
| >65 | 1/19 (5) | 1/11 (9) | 0/8 | |
| Median age, y (range) |
36 (26–73) |
30 (26–73) |
40 (27–62) |
0.083 |
| Underlying conditions | ||||
| None reported | 10/19 (53) | 8/11 (73) | 2/8 (25) | 0.070 |
| Any reported underlying condition | 9/19 (47) | 3/11 (27) | 6/8 (75) | |
| DM‡ | 7/18 (39) | 2/11 (20) | 5/7 (71) | 0.049 |
| DM and possible DM§ | 8/19 (42) | 2/11 (20) | 6/8 (75) | 0.024 |
| Hypertension | 3/19 (16) | 1/11 (9) | 2/8 (25) | 0.546 |
| Cardiac disease¶ | 1/19 (5) | 1/11 (9) | 0/8 | 1.000 |
| Pulmonary disease# | 1/19 (5) | 1/11 (9) | 0/8 | 1.000 |
| On oxygen at home** |
1/19 (5) |
1/11 (9) |
0/8 |
1.000 |
| Possible preillness exposure | ||||
| Secondary,†† healthcare personnel | 5/19 (26) | 4/11 (36) | 1/8 (13) | NA |
| Secondary, household contact | 5/19 (26) | 3/11 (27) | 2/8 (25) | NA |
| Secondary, hospital visitor | 3/19 (16) | 0/11 | 3/8 (38) | NA |
| Secondary, hospital inpatient | 0/19 | 0/11 | 0/8 | NA |
| Any secondary exposure | 13/19 (68) | 7/11 (64) | 6/8 (75) | 0.796 |
| Direct camel contact | 0/19 | 0/11 | 0/8 | |
| Multiple possible exposures | 2/19 (11) | 1/11 (9) | 1/8 (13) | |
| No recognized risks‡‡ | 4/19 (21) | 3/11 (27) | 1/8 (13) | |
| Primary vs. secondary exposure§§ | ||||
| Primary¶¶ | 4/17 (24) | 3/10 (30) | 1/7 (14) | 0.603 |
| Secondary | 13/17 (78) | 7/10 (70) | 6/7 (86) | |
*Values are no. (%) patients except as indicated. CoV, coronavirus; DM, diabetes mellitus; MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome; NA, not applicable. †p values are for Fisher exact or Kruskall–Wallis tests comparing long-term and short-term. ‡Based on documented medical history of DM; comparison excludes 1 patient with possible DM status; total, N = 18; prolonged shedding >11 days, n = 7. §Includes 7 patients with a documented history of DM and 1 patient (of possible DM status) who had no documented history of DM but exhibited multiple periods of hyperglycemia (>200 mg/dL) during hospitalization, with a maximum random glucose reading of 404 mg/dL. ¶Cardiac disease includes congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, a history of coronary artery bypass, or a history of myocardial infarction. Reports of isolated hypertension were not included. #Pulmonary disease includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or reactive airway disease, or use of supplemental oxygen at home. **Patient who was on supplemental oxygen (bilevel positive airway pressure) at home required mechanical ventilation when hospitalized. ††Secondary exposure defined as reported contact with a known MERS case-patient. ‡‡No recognized risks defined as no reported contact with a known MERS case-patient or camel (direct or indirect contact). §§Comparison excludes 2 patients with multiple exposures; total, N = 17; shed <11 days, n = 10; shed >11 days, n = 7. ¶¶Primary exposure defined as no reported contact with a known MERS case-patient; includes direct camel contact and patients with no recognized risks.