Information for Laboratories

Most state laboratories are approved to test for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) using CDC’s rRT-PCR assay.

FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on June 5, 2013, to authorize use of CDC’s 2012 real-time reverse transcription–PCR assay to test for MERS-CoV in clinical respiratory, serum, and stool specimens. CDC has distributed this assay to qualified laboratories in the United States and around the world. See 2013 Coronavirus Emergency Use Authorization (Potential Emergency) [FDA, June 6, 2013]. The Emergency Use Authorization was expanded in June 2014 to allow use for testing asymptomatic contacts.