[Importance of the case of coronavirus-associated severe acute respiratory syndrome detected in Hungary in 2005].

Rókusz, László; Jankovics, István; Jankovics, Máté; Sarkadi, Júlia; Visontai, Ildikó

Ten years have elapsed since the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, which resulted in more than 8000 cases worldwide with more than 700 deaths. Recently, a new coronavirus, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus emerged, causing serious respiratory cases and death. By the end of August 2013, 108 cases including 50 deaths were reported. The authors discuss a coronavirus-associated severe acute respiratory syndrome, which was detected in Hungary in 2005 and highlight its significance in 2013. In 2005 the patient was hospitalized and all relevant clinical and microbiological tests were performed. Based on the IgG antibody positivity of the serum samples, the patient was diagnosed as having severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in the past. The time and source of the infection remained unknown. The condition of the patient improved and he was discharged from the hospital. The case raises the possibility of infections in Hungary imported from remote areas of the world and the importance of thorough examination of patients with severe respiratory syndrome with unknown etiology.