Citation
Rice, Benjamin L.; Lessler, Justin; McKee, Clifton; & Metcalf, C. Jessica E. (2022). Why Do Some Coronaviruses Become Pandemic Threats When Others Do Not?. PLOS Biology, 20(5), e3001652. PMCID: PMC9135331Abstract
Despite multiple spillover events and short chains of transmission on at least 4 continents, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has never triggered a pandemic. By contrast, its relative, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has, despite apparently little, if any, previous circulation in humans. Resolving the unsolved mystery of the failure of MERS-CoV to trigger a pandemic could help inform how we understand the pandemic potential of pathogens, and probing it underscores a need for a more holistic understanding of the ways in which viral genetic changes scale up to population-level transmission.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001652Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2022Journal Title
PLOS BiologyAuthor(s)
Rice, Benjamin L.Lessler, Justin
McKee, Clifton
Metcalf, C. Jessica E.