title: A phylogenetically distinct Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus detected in a dromedary calf from a closed dairy herd in Dubai with rising seroprevalence with age.
abstract: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was detected by monoclonal antibody-based nucleocapsid protein-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), RNA detection, and viral culture from the nasal sample of a 1-month-old dromedary calf in Dubai with sudden death. Whole genome phylogeny showed that this MERS-CoV strain did not cluster with the other MERS-CoV strains from Dubai that we reported recently. Instead, it formed a unique branch more closely related to other MERS-CoV strains from patients in Qatar and Hafr-Al-Batin in Saudi Arabia, as well as the MERS-CoV strains from patients in the recent Korean outbreak, in which the index patient acquired the infection during travel in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Non-synonymous mutations, resulting in 11 unique amino acid differences, were observed between the MERS-CoV genome from the present study and all the other available MERS-CoV genomes. Among these 11 unique amino acid differences, four were found in ORF1ab, three were found in the S1 domain of the spike protein, and one each was found in the proteins encoded by ORF4b, ORF5, envelope gene, and ORF8. MERS-CoV detection for all other 254 dromedaries in this closed dairy herd was negative by nucleocapsid protein-capture ELISA and RNA detection. MERS-CoV IgG sero-positivity gradually increased in dromedary calves with increasing age, with positivity rates of 75% at zero to three months, 79% at four months, 89% at five to six months, and 90% at seven to twelve months. The development of a rapid antigen detection kit for instantaneous diagnosis is warranted.Emerging Microbes & Infections (2015) 4, e74; doi:10.1038/emi.2015.74; published online 2 December 2015.
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.affiliation: Nad Al Sheba Camel Dairy Farm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: I Hassab
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: El Rasoul
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Emily Y M
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Yixin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Shanty
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jose
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Alan K L
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Nissy Annie Georgy
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Patteril
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Honglin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Shyna K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Elizabeth
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Sunitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ningshao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.|Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000662:veterinary; D003612:Dairying; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000662:veterinary; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000821:virology*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D056189:Viral Tropism