Elsevier

The Veterinary Journal

Volume 220, February 2017, Pages 75-79
The Veterinary Journal

Review
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus and dromedaries

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.12.020Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a zoonotic viral disease transmissible from dromedaries to human beings.

  • MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in dromedaries is usually asymptomatic but mild respiratory signs may occur.

  • No MERS-CoV or antibodies against the virus have been detected in camelids other than dromedaries.

  • Dromedaries acquire MERS-CoV at less than 1 year of age and 100% of adult dromedaries are seropositive for the virus.

  • MERS-CoV in dromedaries is detected by virus isolation, quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR or antigen detection.

Abstract

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a zoonotic viral disease that can be transmitted from dromedaries to human beings. More than 1500 cases of MERS have been reported in human beings to date. Although MERS has been associated with 30% case fatality in human beings, MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in dromedaries is usually asymptomatic. In rare cases, dromedaries may develop mild respiratory signs. No MERS-CoV or antibodies against the virus have been detected in camelids other than dromedaries. MERS-CoV is mainly acquired in dromedaries when they are less than 1 year of age, and the proportion of seropositivity increases with age to a seroprevalence of 100% in adult dromedaries. Laboratory diagnosis of MERS-CoV infection in dromedaries can be achieved through virus isolation using Vero cells, RNA detection by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR and antigen detection using respiratory specimens or serum. Rapid nucleocapsid antigen detection using a lateral flow platform allows efficient screening of dromedaries carrying MERS-CoV. In addition to MERS-CoV, which is a lineage C virus in the Betacoronavirus (betaCoV) genus, a lineage B betaCoV and a virus in the Alphacoronavirus (alphaCoV) genus have been detected in dromedaries. Dromedary CoV UAE-HKU23 is closely related to human CoV OC43, whereas the alphaCoV has not been detected in human beings to date.

Keywords

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)
Coronavirus
Dromedary
Diagnosis

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