CDC Lab Confirmed Illinois MERS Retraction Raises Concerns
Recombinomics.com
May 29, 2014
Results: Specimens and interviews were obtained from 124 subjects. Seven previously unconfirmed individuals tested positive for anti-MERS-CoV antibodies by at least two of three serologic tests, in addition to two fatal cases identified by rRT-PCR.
Final Interpretation: All positive and indeterminant specimens were screened by MERS-CoV_Jordan MNt and/or re-screened by MERS-CoV IFA. Two criteria constitute a positive result: HKU5.2N ELISA must be positive and the MERS-CoV_Jordan IFA or MNt must be positive.
The recent CDC retraction of a MERS positive classification of the Illinois contact, in spite of testing positive in ELISA and IFA tests, contradicts the recently published definition in the CDC paper on cases, contacts, and unlinked HCWs in the 2012 MERS outbreak at a Jordan ICU who were antibody tested.
The Rest…HERE
