Diabetic Comorbidity and MERS Coronavirus Pathogenesis

University Of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Project Summary Here we seek to identify the role of diabetes in Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) pathogenesis. MERS-CoV emerged in 2012 in Saudi Arabia leading to over 1700 infections with a ~40% case fatality rate. The majority of lethal MERS-CoV infections are associated with comorbidity, with diabetes as the top comorbidity. We will use a mouse model of MERS-CoV to identify if preexisting Type 2 diabetes exacerbates MERS-CoV disease, how diabetes alters the inflammatory response and protection from MERS-CoV and if drugs targeting a regulator of diabetes can protect mice from MERS-CoV.