Cross-sectional surveillance of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels and other mammals in Egypt, August 2015 to January 2016.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Egypt to determine the prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in imported and resident camels and bats, as well as to assess possible transmission of the virus to domestic ruminants and equines. A total of 1,031 sera, 1,078 nasal swabs, 13 rectal swabs, and 38 milk samples were collected from 1,078 camels in different types of sites. In addition, 145 domestic animals and 109 bats were sampled. Overall, of 1,031 serologically-tested camels, 871 (84.5%) had MERS-CoV neutralising antibodies. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in imported (614/692; 88.7%) than resident camels (257/339; 5.8%) (p < 0.05). Camels from Sudan (543/594; 91.4%) had a higher seroprevalence than those from East Africa (71/98; 72.4%) (p < 0.05). Sampling site and age were also associated with MERS-CoV seroprevalence (p < 0.05). All tested samples from domestic animals and bats were negative for MERS-CoV antibodies except one sheep sample which showed a 1:640 titre. Of 1,078 camels, 41 (3.8%) were positive for MERS-CoV genetic material. Sequences obtained were not found to cluster with clade A or B MERS-CoV sequences and were genetically diverse. The presence of neutralising antibodies in one sheep apparently in contact with seropositive camels calls for further studies on domestic animals in contact with camels.
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Mohamed
M
Ali
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Rabeh
R
El-Shesheny
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
Kandeil
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Mahmoud
M
Shehata
General Organizations of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Land reclamation (MoALR), Giza, Egypt.
Basma
B
Elsokary
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Mokhtar
M
Gomaa
General Organizations of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Land reclamation (MoALR), Giza, Egypt.
Naglaa
N
Hassan
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
El Sayed
National Research Center, Division of Environmental Research, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
El-Taweel
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Egypt.
Heba
H
Sobhy
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Egypt.|Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Folorunso Oludayo
FO
Fasina
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Gwenaelle
G
Dauphin
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Egypt.
Ihab
I
El Masry
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Egypt.
Abebe Wossene
AW
Wolde
EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, United States.
Peter
P
Daszak
EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, United States.
Maureen
M
Miller
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Sophie
S
VonDobschuetz
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Subhash
S
Morzaria
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Juan
J
Lubroth
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Egypt.
Yilma Jobre
YJ
Makonnen
D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002162:Camelus / Q000821:virology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000821:virology*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006041:Goats / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral
Camel, Ruminants; Egypt; Equines; MERS-CoV; bats