title: Novel betacoronavirus in dromedaries of the Middle East, 2013.
abstract: In 2013, a novel betacoronavirus was identified in fecal samples from dromedaries in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Antibodies against the recombinant nucleocapsid protein of the virus, which we named dromedary camel coronavirus (DcCoV) UAE-HKU23, were detected in 52% of 59 dromedary serum samples tested. In an analysis of 3 complete DcCoV UAE-HKU23 genomes, we identified the virus as a betacoronavirus in lineage A1. The DcCoV UAE-HKU23 genome has G+C contents; a general preference for G/C in the third position of codons; a cleavage site for spike protein; and a membrane protein of similar length to that of other betacoronavirus A1 members, to which DcCoV UAE-HKU23 is phylogenetically closely related. Along with this coronavirus, viruses of at least 8 other families have been found to infect camels. Because camels have a close association with humans, continuous surveillance should be conducted to understand the potential for virus emergence in camels and for virus transmission to humans.
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.forename: Emily Y M
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Alan K L
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Bobby
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Cyril C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Candy C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Saritha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivakumar
authors.forename: Jian-Piao
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Rachel Y Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Kwok-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ringu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mareena
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002162:Camelus / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins
keywords: DcCoV; DcCoVUAE-HKU23; Dubai; MERS-CoV; Middle East; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; United Arab Emirates; betacoronavirus; camel; camel coronavirus; coronavirus; dromedaries; dromedary; dromedary camel coronavirus UAE-HKU23; dromedary coronavirus; viruses; zoonoses