title: Systematic, active surveillance for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in camels in Egypt.
abstract: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe human infections and dromedary camels are considered an intermediary host. The dynamics of natural infection in camels are not well understood. Through systematic surveillance in Egypt, nasal, rectal, milk, urine and serum samples were collected from camels between June 2014 and February 2016. Locations included quarantines, markets, abattoirs, free-roaming herds and farmed breeding herds. The overall seroprevalence was 71% and RNA detection rate was 15%. Imported camels had higher seroprevalence (90% vs 61%) and higher RT-PCR detection rates (21% vs 12%) than locally raised camels. Juveniles had lower seroprevalence than adults (37% vs 82%) but similar RT-PCR detection rates (16% vs 15%). An outbreak in a breeding herd, showed that antibodies rapidly wane, that camels become re-infected, and that outbreaks in a herd are sustained for an extended time. Maternal antibodies titers were very low in calves regardless of the antibody titers of the mothers. Our results support the hypothesis that camels are a reservoir for MERS-CoV and that camel trade is an important route of introducing the virus into importing countries. Findings related to waning antibodies and re-infection have implications for camel vaccine development, disease management and zoonotic threat.
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shehata
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mokhtar R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gomaa
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kandeil
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rabeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El-Shesheny
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kayed
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: El-Taweel
authors.affiliation: General Organization of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Giza 11772, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atea
authors.affiliation: General Organization of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Giza 11772, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nagla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bagato
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Yassmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moatasim
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sara H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omnia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kutkat
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12311, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asmaa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maatouq
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo 38105, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Webby
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Human Link, Baabda 1107-2090, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ghazi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kayali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000821:virology; D002162:Camelus / Q000821:virology*; D002417:Cattle; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012007:Rectum / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral