MERS coronaviruses in dromedary camels, Egypt

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Zoonotic Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a significant public health concern.
• Dromedary camels are known reservoirs for MERS-CoV, primarily in the Arabian Peninsula.
• The geographic range and transmission dynamics of MERS-CoV in animal populations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the genetic sequence of MERS-CoV in dromedary camels in Egypt.
• To determine if MERS-CoV strains in dromedaries in Egypt are genetically similar to human strains.
• To assess the potential for MERS-CoV circulation in dromedary populations outside the Arabian Peninsula.

Main Methods:

• Near-full genome sequencing of MERS-CoV from a dromedary camel nasal swab specimen.
• Phylogenetic analysis to compare the Egyptian MERS-CoV sequence with known MERS-CoV strains.

Main Results:

• The near-full genome sequence (>99%) of MERS-CoV was successfully identified from a dromedary camel in Egypt.
• The identified MERS-CoV strain was genetically very similar to human MERS-CoV strains.
• This suggests dromedary camels in Egypt are infected with viruses closely related to those found in humans.

Conclusions:

• Dromedary camels in Egypt harbor MERS-CoV strains genetically similar to human isolates.
• MERS-CoV appears to be circulating in dromedary populations beyond the Arabian Peninsula.
• These findings highlight the importance of continued surveillance of MERS-CoV in dromedary populations in new geographic regions.