Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East

Kandeil, Ahmed; Gomaa, Mokhtar; Nageh, Ahmed; Shehata, Mahmoud M.; Kayed, Ahmed E.; Sabir, Jamal S. M.; Abiadh, Awatef; Jrijer, Jamel; Amr, Zuhair; Abi Said, Mounir; Byarugaba, Denis K.; Wabwire-Mangen, Fred; Tugume, Titus; Mohamed, Nadira S.; Attar, Roba; Hassan, Sabah M.; Abdulaziz Linjawi, Sabah; Moatassim, Yassmin; Kutkat, Omnia; Mahmoud, Sara; Bagato, Ola; Abo Shama, Noura M.; El-Shesheny, Rabeh; Mostafa, Ahmed; A. P. M. Perera, Ranawaka; K. W. Chu, Daniel; Hassan, Nagla; Elsokary, Basma; Saad, Ahmed; Sobhy, Heba; El Masry, Ihab; P. McKenzie, Pamela; J. Webby, Richard; Peiris, Malik; J. Makonnen, Yilma; A. Ali, Mohamed; Kayali, Ghazi

doi:10.3390/v11080717

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East

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Sabah Abdulaziz Linjawi

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Ahmed Mostafa

, Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera¹⁴, Daniel K. W. Chu¹⁴,

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Ghazi Kayali

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Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt

Center of excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80203, Saudi Arabia

Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80203, Saudi Arabia

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Nature Link, Sfax 3000, Tunisia

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Department of Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan

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Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Al Fanar 90656, Lebanon

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Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda

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Department of Genebank and Genetic Sequence, Forensic DNA Research and Training Center, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad 10072, Iraq

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Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80203, Saudi Arabia

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Princess Doctor Najla Saud Al-Saud Distinguished Research Center for Biotechnology, Jeddah 22252, Saudi Arabia

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Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11241, Egypt

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King Fahad Medical Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80203, Saudi Arabia

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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA

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School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, 7 Sassoon Rd, Hong Kong, China

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General Organizations of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Nadi Saed St. 1, Dokki, Giza 12618, Egypt

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary, Animal Diseases, Dokki, Giza 12611, Egypt

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Animal Health Services (AGAH), Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Dokki, Giza 12611, Egypt

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Human Link, Hazmieh 1109, Lebanon

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Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA

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Viruses 2019, 11(8), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/v11080717

Received: 9 July 2019 / Revised: 1 August 2019 / Accepted: 2 August 2019 / Published: 5 August 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Viruses: Surveillance, Prevention, Evolution and Control)

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Abstract

Dromedary camels are the natural reservoirs of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Camels are mostly bred in East African countries then exported into Africa and Middle East for consumption. To understand the distribution of MERS-CoV among camels in North Africa and the Middle East, we conducted surveillance in Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. We also performed longitudinal studies of three camel herds in Egypt and Jordan to elucidate MERS-CoV infection and transmission. Between 2016 and 2018, a total of 4027 nasal swabs and 3267 serum samples were collected from all countries. Real- time PCR revealed that MERS-CoV RNA was detected in nasal swab samples from Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia. Microneutralization assay showed that antibodies were detected in all countries. Positive PCR samples were partially sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was built. The tree suggested that all sequences are of clade C and sequences from camels in Egypt formed a separate group from previously published sequences. Longitudinal studies showed high seroprevalence in adult camels. These results indicate the widespread distribution of the virus in camels. A systematic active surveillance and longitudinal studies for MERS-CoV are needed to understand the epidemiology of the disease and dynamics of viral infection. View Full-Text

Keywords: MERS coronavirus; surveillance; virus infection; epidemiology; virus transmission

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kandeil, A.; Gomaa, M.; Nageh, A.; Shehata, M.M.; Kayed, A.E.; Sabir, J.S.M.; Abiadh, A.; Jrijer, J.; Amr, Z.; Abi Said, M.; Byarugaba, D.K.; Wabwire-Mangen, F.; Tugume, T.; Mohamed, N.S.; Attar, R.; Hassan, S.M.; Abdulaziz Linjawi, S.; Moatassim, Y.; Kutkat, O.; Mahmoud, S.; Bagato, O.; Abo Shama, N.M.; El-Shesheny, R.; Mostafa, A.; A. P. M. Perera, R.; K. W. Chu, D.; Hassan, N.; Elsokary, B.; Saad, A.; Sobhy, H.; El Masry, I.; P. McKenzie, P.; J. Webby, R.; Peiris, M.; J. Makonnen, Y.; A. Ali, M.; Kayali, G. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East. Viruses 2019, 11, 717. https://doi.org/10.3390/v11080717

AMA Style

Kandeil A, Gomaa M, Nageh A, Shehata MM, Kayed AE, Sabir JSM, Abiadh A, Jrijer J, Amr Z, Abi Said M, Byarugaba DK, Wabwire-Mangen F, Tugume T, Mohamed NS, Attar R, Hassan SM, Abdulaziz Linjawi S, Moatassim Y, Kutkat O, Mahmoud S, Bagato O, Abo Shama NM, El-Shesheny R, Mostafa A, A. P. M. Perera R, K. W. Chu D, Hassan N, Elsokary B, Saad A, Sobhy H, El Masry I, P. McKenzie P, J. Webby R, Peiris M, J. Makonnen Y, A. Ali M, Kayali G. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East. Viruses. 2019; 11(8):717. https://doi.org/10.3390/v11080717

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kandeil, Ahmed, Mokhtar Gomaa, Ahmed Nageh, Mahmoud M. Shehata, Ahmed E. Kayed, Jamal S.M. Sabir, Awatef Abiadh, Jamel Jrijer, Zuhair Amr, Mounir Abi Said, Denis K. Byarugaba, Fred Wabwire-Mangen, Titus Tugume, Nadira S. Mohamed, Roba Attar, Sabah M. Hassan, Sabah Abdulaziz Linjawi, Yassmin Moatassim, Omnia Kutkat, Sara Mahmoud, Ola Bagato, Noura M. Abo Shama, Rabeh El-Shesheny, Ahmed Mostafa, Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera, Daniel K. W. Chu, Nagla Hassan, Basma Elsokary, Ahmed Saad, Heba Sobhy, Ihab El Masry, Pamela P. McKenzie, Richard J. Webby, Malik Peiris, Yilma J. Makonnen, Mohamed A. Ali, and Ghazi Kayali. 2019. "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East" Viruses 11, no. 8: 717. https://doi.org/10.3390/v11080717

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