Lack of middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus transmission from infected camels

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Apr;21(4):699-701. doi: 10.3201/eid2104.141949.

Abstract

To determine risk for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus transmission from camels to humans, we tested serum from 191 persons with various levels of exposure to an infected dromedary herd. We found no serologic evidence of human infection, suggesting that zoonotic transmission of this virus from dromedaries is rare.

Keywords: MERS; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Saudi Arabia; camel; dromedary; genomics; mutation; phylogeny; transmission; viruses; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Camelus*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus* / genetics
  • Population Surveillance
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology