The sample of choice for detecting Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in asymptomatic dromedary camels using real-time reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction.
The newly identified Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which causes severe respiratory disease, particularly in people with comorbidities, requires further investigation. Studies in Qatar and elsewhere have provided evidence that dromedary camels are a reservoir for the virus, but the exact modes of transmission of MERS-CoV to humans remain unclear. In February 2014, an assessment was made of the suitability and sensitivity of different types of sample for the detection of MERSCoV by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for three gene targets: UpE (upstream of the E gene), the N (nucleocapsid) gene and open reading frame (ORF) 1a. Fifty-three animals presented for slaughter were sampled. A high percentage of the sampled camels (79% [95% confidence interval 66.9-91.5%, standard error 0.0625]; 42 out of 53) were shown to be shedding MERS-CoV at the time of slaughter, yet all the animals were apparently healthy. Among the virus-positive animals, nasal swabs were most often positive (97.6%). Oral swabs were the second most frequently positive (35.7%), followed by rectal swabs (28.5%). In addition, the highest viral load, expressed as a cycle threshold (Ct) value of 11.27, was obtained from a nasal swab. These findings lead to the conclusion that nasal swabs are the candidate sample of choice for detecting MERS-CoV using RT-PCR technology in apparently healthy camels.
K A
KA
Mohran
E A B
EA
Farag
C B E
CB
Reusken
V S
VS
Raj
M M
MM
Lamers
S D
SD
Pas
J
J
Voermans
S L
SL
Smits
M M
MM
Alhajri
F
F
Alhajri
H E
HE
Al-Romaihi
H
H
Ghobashy
M M
MM
El-Maghraby
S H S
SH
Al Dhahiry
N
N
Al-Mawlawi
A M
AM
El-Sayed
M
M
Al-Thani
S A
SA
Al-Marri
B L
BL
Haagmans
M P G
MP
Koopmans
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006801:Humans; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012007:Rectum / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load / Q000662:veterinary; D017201:Virus Shedding
D012367:RNA, Viral
Camel; Coronavirus; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Mucosal swab; Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction