Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses (CoV) are emerging infectious diseases of concern for global public health. SARS-CoV emerged from Rhinolophus bats, amplified within live game-animal markets, and adapted to transmit between humans, spreading worldwide to 25 countries across 5 continents in 2003. MERS-CoV was recognized in 2012 as a cause of pneumonia in the Arabian Peninsula. The source of zoonotic infection is dromedary camels and such infections may lead to clusters of transmission between humans, especially in health care settings. Effective therapeutics and vaccines are urgently needed.
