MERS virus transmitted by camels

Researchers identify camels as potential transmitters of the MERS coronavirus

07/05/2014

With hundreds of people in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries already dying from the MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, scientists at King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia) have now identified a new pathogen pathway. Apparently, the pathogens of dromedaries and camels may skip on humans.

The physicians carried out in their study, a genetic analysis of the virus, which had caused the death of a 44-year-old patient at the end of last years. They also analyzed virus samples taken from diseased male camels. The genome of the pathogens was identical, the researchers report in the journal „New England Journal of Medicine“. Apparently, the MERS virus can be transmitted to humans in close contact with infected animals.

Camels as intermediaries
In early November 2013, the 44-year-old Saudi was admitted to the intensive care unit at King Abdulaziz University Hospital with severe respiratory distress. Eight days earlier, according to the physicians, he had developed symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough and a general malaise. After five days, the respiratory distress had begun, which gradually increased further. At the end of November, the man finally died. Since the patient had a herd of nine camels, in which at least four animals were affected, it was suspected that the pathogens could have jumped from the camels to the patient. The scientists took a nasal swab of the camels and performed a sequencing of the genome of the detected MERS viruses. In summary, those obtained „Data indicate that the MERS-CoV causes a zoonotic disease that can infect camels and be transmitted by them in close contact with humans“, reports study leader Tarik Madani. The camels would act as intermediate hosts. Where the main reservoir of new pathogens or where the actual source of infection lies, however, remains unclear.

MERS infections often go undetected
Worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) „So far, 681 laboratory confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infections - including 204 deaths - have been officially reported to the WHO.“ However, there is a considerable number of unreported cases, since the symptoms are similar to those of a flu or a harmless respiratory tract infection and there is no suspicion of MERS infection. „It is not always possible to detect patients with MERS-CoV early on because of some mild or unusual symptoms“ , WHO reports. Therefore, healthcare professionals in particular should consistently comply with current standard care practices for all patients, regardless of their diagnosis, WHO said. (Fp)