Can mersa get into your lungs?

Yes, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can get into your lungs and cause respiratory illness. Here's how it can happen:

1. Inhalation: MERS-CoV can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. If you're in close contact with an infected person, you can inhale these droplets and become infected.

2. Contact: MERS-CoV can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. If you touch a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, you can become infected.

MERS-CoV primarily affects the respiratory system. Once inside your body, the virus can attach to the cells in your lungs, specifically those in the lower respiratory tract. It then invades and replicates within these cells, causing inflammation and damage to the lung tissue.

Symptoms of MERS-CoV infection typically develop within 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. These symptoms may include:

- Fever

- Cough

- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

- Muscle aches

- Headache

- Fatigue

- Nausea

- Vomiting

- Diarrhea

In severe cases, MERS-CoV can cause pneumonia and respiratory failure, which can be life-threatening. People with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, diabetes, and weakened immune systems, are at higher risk of severe illness and complications.

To reduce the risk of MERS-CoV infection, it's important to practice good respiratory hygiene, such as coughing and sneezing into a tissue and washing your hands frequently. Avoid close contact with people who are infected and seek medical attention if you develop symptoms of respiratory illness after being in an area where MERS-CoV is known to be circulating.