Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels in Nigeria, 2015

Euro Surveill. 2015;20(49). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.49.30086.

Abstract

Evidence of current and past Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in dromedary camels slaughtered at an abattoir in Kano, Nigeria in January 2015, was sought by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and serology. MERS-CoV RNA was detected in 14 (11%) of 132 nasal swabs and antibody in 126 (96%) of 131 serum samples. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that the viruses in Nigeria are genetically distinct from those reported in the Arabian peninsula.

Keywords: Middle East respiratory syndrome - MERS; PCR; coronavirus; dromedary; phylogenetics; serology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Camelus / virology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / genetics
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Nigeria / epidemiology
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Zoonoses / diagnosis*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / virology

Substances

  • RNA, Viral