Cross-sectional surveillance of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels and other mammals in Egypt, August 2015 to January 2016

• Published in: Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 22; no. 11; p. 1
• Main Authors: Ali, Mohamed, El-Shesheny, Rabeh, Kandeil, Ahmed, Shehata, Mahmoud, Elsokary, Basma, Gomaa, Mokhtar, Hassan, Naglaa, El Sayed, Ahmed, El-Taweel, Ahmed, Sobhy, Heba, Fasina, Folorunso Oludayo, Dauphin, Gwenaelle, El Masry, Ihab, Wolde, Abebe Wossene, Daszak, Peter, Miller, Maureen, VonDobschuetz, Sophie, Morzaria, Subhash, Lubroth, Juan, Makonnen, Yilma Jobre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 16-03-2017; European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Base Sequence; Camelus - virology; Cattle - blood; Coronavirus - genetics; Coronavirus - isolation & purification; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - veterinary; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Disease Reservoirs - virology; Disease transmission; Egypt - epidemiology; Genotype; Goats - blood; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus - classification; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus - genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Prevalence; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - analysis; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sheep - blood; Surveillance and Outbreak Report; Travel medicine; Viruses; Zoonoses - diagnosis; Zoonoses - epidemiology; Zoonoses - virology; East Africa; Egypt; bats; MERS-CoV; Camel, Ruminants; Egypt; Equines
• ISSN: 1560-7917; 1025-496X; 1560-7917
• DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2017.22.11.30487

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.