Abstract
Background: A new betacoronavirus-Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-has been identified in patients with severe acute respiratory infection. Although related viruses infect bats, molecular clock analyses have been unable to identify direct ancestors of MERS-CoV. Anecdotal exposure histories suggest that patients had been in contact with dromedary camels or goats. We investigated possible animal reservoirs of MERS-CoV by assessing specific serum antibodies in livestock. Methods: We took sera from animals in the Middle East (Oman) and from elsewhere (Spain, Netherlands, Chile). Cattle (n=80), sheep (n=40), goats (n=40), dromedary camels (n=155), and various other camelid species (n=34) were tested for specific serum IgG by protein microarray using the receptor-binding S1 subunits of spike proteins of MERS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and human coronavirus OC43. Results were confirmed by virus neutralisation tests for MERS-CoV and bovine coronavirus. Findings: 50 of 50 (100%) sera from Omani camels and 15 of 105 (14%) from Spanish camels had protein-specific antibodies against MERS-CoV spike. Sera from European sheep, goats, cattle, and other camelids had no such antibodies. MERS-CoV neutralising antibody titres varied between 1/320 and 1/2560 for the Omani camel sera and between 1/20 and 1/320 for the Spanish camel sera. There was no evidence for cross-neutralisation by bovine coronavirus antibodies. Interpretation: MERS-CoV or a related virus has infected camel populations. Both titres and seroprevalences in sera from different locations in Oman suggest widespread infection. Funding: European Union, European Centre For Disease Prevention and Control, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 859-866 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | The Lancet Infectious Diseases |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2013 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Infectious Diseases
Cite this
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus neutralising serum antibodies in dromedary camels : A comparative serological study. / Reusken, Chantal B E M; Haagmans, Bart L.; Müller, Marcel A.; Gutierrez, Carlos; Godeke, Gert Jan; Meyer, Benjamin; Muth, Doreen; Raj, V. Stalin; Vries, Laura Smits De; Corman, Victor M.; Drexler, Jan Felix; Smits, Saskia L.; El Tahir, Yasmin E.; De Sousa, Rita; van Beek, Janko; Nowotny, Norbert; van Maanen, Kees; Hidalgo-Hermoso, Ezequiel; Bosch, Berend Jan; Rottier, Peter; Osterhaus, Albert; Gortázar-Schmidt, Christian; Drosten, Christian; Koopmans, Marion P G.
In: The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Vol. 13, No. 10, 10.2013, p. 859-866.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus neutralising serum antibodies in dromedary camels
T2 - A comparative serological study
AU - Reusken, Chantal B E M
AU - Haagmans, Bart L.
AU - Müller, Marcel A.
AU - Gutierrez, Carlos
AU - Godeke, Gert Jan
AU - Meyer, Benjamin
AU - Muth, Doreen
AU - Raj, V. Stalin
AU - Vries, Laura Smits De
AU - Corman, Victor M.
AU - Drexler, Jan Felix
AU - Smits, Saskia L.
AU - El Tahir, Yasmin E.
AU - De Sousa, Rita
AU - van Beek, Janko
AU - Nowotny, Norbert
AU - van Maanen, Kees
AU - Hidalgo-Hermoso, Ezequiel
AU - Bosch, Berend Jan
AU - Rottier, Peter
AU - Osterhaus, Albert
AU - Gortázar-Schmidt, Christian
AU - Drosten, Christian
AU - Koopmans, Marion P G
PY - 2013/10
Y1 - 2013/10
N2 - Background: A new betacoronavirus-Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-has been identified in patients with severe acute respiratory infection. Although related viruses infect bats, molecular clock analyses have been unable to identify direct ancestors of MERS-CoV. Anecdotal exposure histories suggest that patients had been in contact with dromedary camels or goats. We investigated possible animal reservoirs of MERS-CoV by assessing specific serum antibodies in livestock. Methods: We took sera from animals in the Middle East (Oman) and from elsewhere (Spain, Netherlands, Chile). Cattle (n=80), sheep (n=40), goats (n=40), dromedary camels (n=155), and various other camelid species (n=34) were tested for specific serum IgG by protein microarray using the receptor-binding S1 subunits of spike proteins of MERS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and human coronavirus OC43. Results were confirmed by virus neutralisation tests for MERS-CoV and bovine coronavirus. Findings: 50 of 50 (100%) sera from Omani camels and 15 of 105 (14%) from Spanish camels had protein-specific antibodies against MERS-CoV spike. Sera from European sheep, goats, cattle, and other camelids had no such antibodies. MERS-CoV neutralising antibody titres varied between 1/320 and 1/2560 for the Omani camel sera and between 1/20 and 1/320 for the Spanish camel sera. There was no evidence for cross-neutralisation by bovine coronavirus antibodies. Interpretation: MERS-CoV or a related virus has infected camel populations. Both titres and seroprevalences in sera from different locations in Oman suggest widespread infection. Funding: European Union, European Centre For Disease Prevention and Control, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
AB - Background: A new betacoronavirus-Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-has been identified in patients with severe acute respiratory infection. Although related viruses infect bats, molecular clock analyses have been unable to identify direct ancestors of MERS-CoV. Anecdotal exposure histories suggest that patients had been in contact with dromedary camels or goats. We investigated possible animal reservoirs of MERS-CoV by assessing specific serum antibodies in livestock. Methods: We took sera from animals in the Middle East (Oman) and from elsewhere (Spain, Netherlands, Chile). Cattle (n=80), sheep (n=40), goats (n=40), dromedary camels (n=155), and various other camelid species (n=34) were tested for specific serum IgG by protein microarray using the receptor-binding S1 subunits of spike proteins of MERS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and human coronavirus OC43. Results were confirmed by virus neutralisation tests for MERS-CoV and bovine coronavirus. Findings: 50 of 50 (100%) sera from Omani camels and 15 of 105 (14%) from Spanish camels had protein-specific antibodies against MERS-CoV spike. Sera from European sheep, goats, cattle, and other camelids had no such antibodies. MERS-CoV neutralising antibody titres varied between 1/320 and 1/2560 for the Omani camel sera and between 1/20 and 1/320 for the Spanish camel sera. There was no evidence for cross-neutralisation by bovine coronavirus antibodies. Interpretation: MERS-CoV or a related virus has infected camel populations. Both titres and seroprevalences in sera from different locations in Oman suggest widespread infection. Funding: European Union, European Centre For Disease Prevention and Control, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70164-6
DO - 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70164-6
M3 - Article
VL - 13
SP - 859
EP - 866
JO - The Lancet Infectious Diseases
JF - The Lancet Infectious Diseases
SN - 1473-3099
IS - 10
ER -