CDC Retracts Initial Human-to-Human MERS Virus Infection

The third case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the United States was originally reported as the first human-to-human transmission of the virus in the country, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are rescinding that claim.

The first case of MERS in the U.S. was documented on May 2 after a man admitted himself into an Indiana hospital complaining of a fever and respiratory issues. The man spent some time in Saudi Arabia before returning home back to the U.S. Following a series of tests, doctors diagnosed the man with MERS and the CDC began their search of people who may have come into contact with him to prevent an unmitigated spread.

On May 16, health officials tracked down an Illinois man who came into contact with the infected Indiana man. They collected blood samples and eventually determined that he tested positive for the MERS virus as well. However, on Wednesday, the CDC claims that after additional testing, the Illinois man actually did not have the MERS virus after coming into contact with the infected man.

"Our experts have now concluded that the Indiana patient did not spread the virus to the Illinois resident," said Dr. David Swerdlow, associate director for science in CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in this ABC News article. "The results from these tests are not black and white but require interpretation. It's our job to move quickly when there's a potential threat. We will continue to err on the side of caution."

The news that the Illinois man was infected alarmed many, because he only spent 40 minutes with the Indiana man during a business meeting. Health officials began to fear that the virus could spread rapidly and, with a 30% mortality rate, result in a significant number of deaths. The CDC was put in a tough spot regarding this false positive test, because it was their obligation to report the first human-to-human transmission of the dangerous respiratory disease to alert the public.

Despite the Illinois man being MERS-free, the virus has infected 636 people worldwide, resulting in nearly 200 deaths. Many of the cases and deaths have been documented in Saudi Arabia.