title: Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for the Molecular Diagnosis of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome During an Outbreak in Korea in 2015.
abstract: For two months between May and July 2015, a nationwide outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) occurred in Korea. On June 3, 2015, the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine (KSLM) launched a MERS-CoV Laboratory Response Task Force (LR-TF) to facilitate clinical laboratories to set up the diagnosis of MERS-CoV infection. Based on the WHO interim recommendations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of United States guidelines for MERS-CoV laboratory testing, and other available resources, the KSLM MERS-CoV LR-TF provided the first version of the laboratory practice guidelines for the molecular diagnosis of MERS-CoV to the clinical laboratories on June 12, 2015. The guidelines described here are an updated version that includes case definition, indications for testing, specimen type and protocols for specimen collection, specimen packing and transport, specimen handling and nucleic acid extraction, molecular detection of MERS-CoV, interpretation of results and reporting, and laboratory safety. The KSLM guidelines mainly focus on the molecular diagnosis of MERS-CoV, reflecting the unique situation in Korea and the state of knowledge at the time of publication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Seok
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ki
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyukmin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Heungsup
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sinyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Woo
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Seong
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dongeun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. mnkim@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Mi Na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Rak
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019064:Product Packaging / Q000592:standards; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Guidelines; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Molecular diagnosis; Outbreak