Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), also known as camel flu, is a viral respiratory infection caused by the MERS-coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Symptoms may range from mild to severe, including fever, cough, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Middle East respiratory syndrome is caused by the newly identified MERS coronavirus(MERS-CoV),a species with single-stranded RNA belonging to the genus betacoronavirus which is distinct from SARS coronavirus and the common-cold coronavirus. Its genomes are phylogenetically classified into two clades, Clades A and B. Early cases of MERS were of Clade A clusters (EMC/2012 and Jordan-N3/2012) while new cases are genetically different in general (Clade B). There has been evidence of limited, but not sustained spread of MERS-CoV from person to person, both in households as well as in health care settings like hospitals. Most transmission has occurred “in the circumstances of close contact with severely ill persons in healthcare or household settings” and there is no evidence of transmission from asymptomatic cases.

In the present book, fourteen typical literatures about Middle East respiratory syndrome published on international authoritative journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which contains reviews or original researches on medical science, virology, epidemiology, ect. We hope this book can demonstrate advances in Middle East respiratory syndrome as well as give references to the researchers, students and other related people.