title: Evidence for zoonotic origins of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
abstract: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is an emerging infectious disease, caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and is considered to be a zoonosis. However, the natural reservoirs of MERS-CoV remain obscure, with bats and camels as the most suspected sources. In this article, we review the evidence supporting a bat/camel origin of human MERS-CoV infection and current knowledge on the modes of camel-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Hui-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China.|Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.|Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.|School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xue-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D002685:Chiroptera; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D006801:Humans; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology