Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus antibody reactors among camels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2005.
We tested, using a low starting dilution, sequential serum samples from dromedary camels, sheep and horses collected in Dubai from February/April to October of 2005 and from dromedary camels for export/import testing between Canada and USA in 2000-2001. Using a standard Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) neutralization test, serial sera from three sheep and three horses were all negative while sera from 9 of 11 dromedary camels from Dubai were positive for antibodies supported by similar results in a MERS-CoV recombinant partial spike protein antibody ELISA. The two negative Dubai camels were both dromedary calves and remained negative over the 5 months studied. The six dromedary samples from USA and Canada were negative in both tests. These results support the recent findings that infection with MERS-CoV or a closely related virus is not a new occurrence in camels in the Middle East. Therefore, interactions of MERS-CoV at the human-animal interface may have been ongoing for several, perhaps many, years and by inference, a widespread pandemic may be less likely unless significant evolution of the virus allow accelerated infection and spread potential in the human population.
National Centres for Animal Disease (NCAD), Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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Alexandersen
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Kobinger
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Soule
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Wernery
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002162:Camelus / Q000821:virology*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses; D015994:Incidence; D008877:Middle East; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012756:Sheep; D013577:Syndrome; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral
Middle East; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; antibodies; camels; coronavirus; dromedaries