Evolving sequence mutations in the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has continued to cause sporadic outbreaks of severe respiratory tract infection over the last 8 years.

Methods: Complete genome sequencing using next-generation sequencing was performed for MERS-CoV isolates from cases that occurred in Riyadh between 2015 and 2019. Phylogenetic analysis and molecular mutational analysis were carried out to investigate disease severity.