Treatment

Patients reporting with complications of MERS infection generally did not make it to the hospital before the virus had already become systemic, spreading throughout body systems and causing multi-organ failure. In these instances, treating for patient comfort was the only available option, since MERS infection happened quickly and no antiviral drugs or vaccines had been developed to fight the infection. Patients that presented with mild symptoms could be treated symptomatically, and generally could survive if their immune system could outcompete the virus. 

Testing in a limited number of cases occurred using beta interferons, alpha interferons, ribavirin, and mycophenolate mofetil in addition to standard care in a hospital setting, but the data in these cases was limited. In the small number of cases where patients received beta interferon AND mofetil in conjunction had improved survival. As of yet there are no antiviral drugs or vaccines that have been approved for human use.