title: Risk Factors for Primary Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection in Camel Workers in Qatar During 2013-2014: A Case-Control Study.
abstract: The transmission routes and risk factors for zoonotic Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections are still unknown. We used the World Health Organization questionnaire for MERS-CoV case-control studies to assess risk factors for human MERS-CoV seropositivity at a farm complex in Qatar. Nine camel workers with MERS-CoV antibodies and 43 workers without antibodies were included. Some camel-related activities may pose a higher risk of MERS-CoV infection, as may cross-border movements of camels, poor hand hygiene, and overnight hospital stays with respiratory complaints. The risk factors identified in this study can be used to develop infection prevention and control measures for human MERS-CoV infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center,Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Reina S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sikkema
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Elmoubasher A B A
authors.initials: EABA
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Sayed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Himatt
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Adel K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Hamad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Romaihi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Salih A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Marri
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Thani
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Hajri
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center,Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Haagmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center,Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marion P G
authors.initials: MPG
authors.lastname: Koopmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center,Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chantal B E M
authors.initials: CBEM
authors.lastname: Reusken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission
keywords: MERS-CoV; coronavirus; risk factors; transmission; zoonotic