1
|
Abdelazim M, Abdelkader R, Ali A, Shahein MA, Tadesse Z, Saad A, Mansour A, Ali SF, Atea M, Gardner E, VonDobschuetz S, Morzaria S, Makonnen Y, Lubroth J, Sumption K, ElMasry I, Zakaria T, Eid S, Hatab EA, Hagag NM, Yousef HMY, Emara M, Abdelwahed DA, Abdelmegeed HK, Hamdy ME, Mansour ONO, Guitian J. A longitudinal study of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:228. [PMID: 37919680 PMCID: PMC10621169 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03769-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was identified in humans in 2012. Since then, 2605 cases and 937 associated deaths have been reported globally. Camels are the natural host for MERS-CoV and camel to human transmission has been documented. The relationship between MERS-CoV shedding and presence of neutralizing antibodies in camels is critical to inform surveillance and control, including future deployment of camel vaccines. However, it remains poorly understood. The longitudinal study conducted in a closed camel herd in Egypt between December 2019 and March 2020 helped to characterize the kinetics of MERS-CoV neutralizing antibodies and its relation with viral shedding. RESULTS During the 100-day longitudinal study, 27 out of 54 camels (50%) consistently tested negative for presence of antibodies against MERS-CoV, 19 (35.2%) tested positive and 8 (14.8%) had both, positive and negative test results. Fourteen events that could be interpreted as serological indication of probable infection (two seroconversions and twelve instances of positive camels more than doubling their optical density ratio (OD ratio) in consecutive samples) were identified. Observed times between the identified events provided strong evidence (p = 0.002) against the null hypothesis that they occurred with constant rate during the study, as opposed to clustering at certain points in time. A generalized additive model showed that optical density ratio (OD ratio) is positively associated with being an adult and varies across individual camels and days, peaking at around days 20 and 90 of the study. Despite serological indication of probable virus circulation and intense repeated sampling, none of the tested nasal swab samples were positive for MERS-CoV RNA, suggesting that, if the identified serological responses are the result of virus circulation, the virus may be present in nasal tissue of infected camels during a very narrow time window. CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal testing of a closed camel herd with past history of MERS-CoV infection is compatible with the virus continuing to circulate in the herd despite lack of contact with other camels. It is likely that episodes of MERS-CoV infection in camels can take place with minimal presence of the virus in their nasal tissues, which has important implications for future surveillance and control of MERS-CoV in camel herds and prevention of its zoonotic transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Abdelhakim Ali
- General Organization for Veterinary Service, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Momtaz A Shahein
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Zelalem Tadesse
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Saad
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amal Mansour
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samah F Ali
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Atea
- General Organization for Veterinary Service, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Emma Gardner
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
| | | | - Subhash Morzaria
- Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, Texas A & M University, College Station, USA
| | - Yilma Makonnen
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Sub-regional Office for Eastern Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Keith Sumption
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
| | - Ihab ElMasry
- Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
| | - Tarek Zakaria
- General Organization for Veterinary Service, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samah Eid
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Abo Hatab
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Naglaa M Hagag
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Mervate Emara
- General Organization for Veterinary Service, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dina A Abdelwahed
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hala K Abdelmegeed
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mervat E Hamdy
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Othman N O Mansour
- Agriculture Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Azhar EI, Velavan TP, Rungsung I, Traore T, Hui DS, McCloskey B, El-Kafrawy SA, Zumla A. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus-a 10-year (2012-2022) global analysis of human and camel infections, genomic sequences, lineages, and geographical origins. Int J Infect Dis 2023; 131:87-94. [PMID: 36996998 PMCID: PMC10050196 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The World Health Organization priority zoonotic pathogen Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (CoV) has a high case fatality rate in humans and circulates in camels worldwide. METHODS We performed a global analysis of human and camel MERS-CoV infections, epidemiology, genomic sequences, clades, lineages, and geographical origins for the period January 1, 2012 to August 3, 2022. MERS-CoV Surface gene sequences (4061 bp) were extracted from GenBank, and a phylogenetic maximum likelihood tree was constructed. RESULTS As of August 2022, 2591 human MERS cases from 26 countries were reported to the World Health Organization (Saudi Arabia, 2184 cases, including 813 deaths [case fatality rate: 37.2%]) Although declining in numbers, MERS cases continue to be reported from the Middle East. A total of 728 MERS-CoV genomes were identified (the largest numbers were from Saudi Arabia [222: human = 146, camels = 76] and the United Arab Emirates [176: human = 21, camels = 155]). A total of 501 'S'-gene sequences were used for phylogenetic tree construction (camels [n = 264], humans [n = 226], bats [n = 8], other [n=3]). Three MERS-CoV clades were identified: clade B, which is the largest, followed by clade A and clade C. Of the 462 clade B lineages, lineage 5 was predominant (n = 177). CONCLUSION MERS-CoV remains a threat to global health security. MERS-CoV variants continue circulating in humans and camels. The recombination rates indicate co-infections with different MERS-CoV lineages. Proactive surveillance of MERS-CoV infections and variants of concern in camels and humans worldwide, and development of a MERS vaccine, are essential for epidemic preparedness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esam I Azhar
- Special Infectious Agents Unit Biosafety Level-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center and Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Thirumalaisamy P Velavan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Ikrormi Rungsung
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tieble Traore
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Program, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Dakar Hub, Senegal
| | - David S Hui
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Brian McCloskey
- Global Health Program, Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sherif A El-Kafrawy
- Special Infectious Agents Unit Biosafety Level-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center and Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu Q, Li Q, Lu J. A One Health strategy for emerging infectious diseases based on the COVID-19 outbreak. JOURNAL OF BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY 2021; 4:5-11. [PMID: 34729464 PMCID: PMC8552662 DOI: 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is as an emerging infectious disease (EID) that has caused the worst public health catastrophe of the 21st century thus far. In terms of impact, the COVID-19 pandemic is second only to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 in modern world history. As of 7 September 2021, there have been 220 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 4.5 million deaths. EIDs pose serious public health and socio-economic risks, and 70% of EIDs originate from wildlife. Preventing development of EIDs such as COVID-19 is a pressing concern. Here, taking the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, we illustrate the disastrous effects of EIDs and assess their emergence and evolution from a One Health perspective. We propose a One Health strategy, centered on ‘moving the gates forward’, for EID prevention and control at the human–animal–environment interface. This strategy may be instructive and provide early warnings of EIDs in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Wu
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Tropical Disease Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.,One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory for Surveillance and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianlin Li
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Tropical Disease Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.,One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory for Surveillance and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahai Lu
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Tropical Disease Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.,One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory for Surveillance and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|