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    Novel Coronavirus in the Middle East: More Details
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    Abstract:
    A previously unknown coronavirus was recently identified in two individuals from the Middle East who had severe respiratory illness (JW Infect Dis Oct
    Keywords:
    Coronavirus
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Pandemic
    During the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak in South Korea, we sequenced full viral genomes of strains isolated from 4 patients early and late during infection. Patients represented at least 4 generations of transmission. We found no evidence of changes in the evolutionary rate and no reason to suspect adaptive changes in viral proteins.
    Microevolution
    Coronavirus
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Coronavirus Infections
    Citations (38)
    Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic disease that was first identified in humans in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. MERS-CoV causes acute and severe respiratory disease in humans. The mortality rate of MERS in humans is ∼35% and >800 deaths have been reported globally as of August 2020. Dromedary camels are a natural host of the virus and the source of zoonotic human infection. In experimental studies, Bactrian camels are susceptible to MERS-CoV infection similar to dromedary camels; however, neither the virus, viral RNA, nor virus-specific antibodies were detected in Bactrian camel field samples so far. The aim of our study was to survey Mongolian camels for MERS-CoV-specific antibodies. A total of 180 camel sera, collected in 2016 and 2017, were involved in this survey: 17 of 180 sera were seropositive with an initial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test performed at the State Central Veterinary Laboratory in Mongolia. These 17 positive sera plus 53 additional negative sera were sent to the Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, and tested for the presence of antibodies with a similar ELISA, an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and a virus neutralization test (VNT). In these additional tests, a total of 21 of 70 sera were positive with ELISA and 10 sera were positive with IFA; however, none was positive in the VNT. Based on these results, we hypothesize that the ELISA/IFA-positive antibodies are (1) non-neutralizing antibodies or (2) directed against a MERS-CoV-like virus circulating in Bactrian camels in Mongolia.
    Coronavirus
    Citations (9)
    Abstract The source of human infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus remains unknown. Molecular investigation indicated that bats in Saudi Arabia are infected with several alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses. Virus from 1 bat showed 100% nucleotide identity to virus from the human index case-patient. Bats might play a role in human infection.
    Coronavirus
    Betacoronavirus
    Coronavirus Infections
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Citations (686)
    Abstract Free-roaming camels, especially those crossing national borders, pose a high risk for spreading Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To prevent outbreaks, active surveillance is necessary. We found that a high percentage of dromedaries in Tunisia are MERS-CoV seropositive (80.4%) or actively infected (19.8%), indicating extensive MERS-CoV circulation in Northern Africa.
    Coronavirus
    Coronavirus Infections
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Citations (8)
    The first report of a novel coronavirus causing human infection on the Arabian Peninsula was received in September 2012. By June 7, 2013, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) — as is it now known — had caused 55 confirmed cases, all of which were linked to four countries: Saudi Arabia (40 cases), Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. …
    Coronavirus
    Coronavirus Infections
    Peninsula
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Betacoronavirus
    Citations (0)
    Abstract We characterized exposures and demographics of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus cases reported to the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health during July 1–October 31, 2017, and June 1–September 16, 2018. Molecular characterization of available specimens showed that circulating viruses during these periods continued to cluster within lineage 5.
    Christian ministry
    Demographics
    Coronavirus
    Betacoronavirus
    2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
    Coronavirus Infections
    Citations (7)