Working Document on Camel Prion Disease (CPrD)
ADAFSA, UAE
Salama Almuhairi
Abdelamlik Khalafalla
Mohamed Alhosani
Oum Kalthoum Bensalah
Hassan Zakaria
ISS, Italy
Umberto Agrimi
Gabriele Vaccari
Michele Di Bari
Romolo Nonno
Laura Pirisinu
Barbara Chiappini
Ilaria Vanni
Claudia D'Agostino
IZSPLVA, Italy
Cristina Casalone
Giuseppe Ru
Camenet web site
Abstract
Camel prion disease (CPrD) is the last disease described in the family of prion diseases [1]. To date, it has been recognized only in Middle East of Algeria and in the neighboring region of Tunisia [2]. However, there are no known other initiatives of prion diseases surveillance in camels worldwide. CPrD might actually be limited to the already known geographic area in North Africa or spread undetected in other Countries, as a consequence of the movements of dromedaries along trans-Saharan commercial routes, the import/export trade flows of living animals and the traditional extensive and nomadic rearing systems.
تنزيل الآن
Epidemiological investigation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in dromedary camel farms linked with human infection in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Mohammed Farouk Yusof1,*, Krista Queen2,3,*, Yassir Mohammed Eltahir1,*, Clinton R Paden2,3,*, Zulaikha Mohamed Abdel Hameed Al Hammadi1, Ying Tao2, Yan Li2, Abdelmalik Ibrahim Khalafalla1, Mang Shi4, Jing Zhang2,5, Muzammil Sayed Ahmed Elhaj Mohamed1, Mahmud Hamed Abd Elaal Ahmed1, Ihsaan Abdulwahab Azeez1, Oum Keltoum Bensalah1, Ziyada Swar Eldahab6, Farida Ismail Al Hosani7, Susan I Gerber2, Aron J Hall2, Suxiang Tong2 and Salama Suhail Al Muhairi1
Emerging Microbes & Infections (2017) 6, e101; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.89; published online 8 November 2017
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was identified on the Arabian Peninsula in 2012 and is still causing cases and outbreaks in the Middle East. When MERS-CoV was first identified, the closest related virus was in bats; however, it has since been recognized that dromedary camels serve as a virus reservoir and potential source for human infections. A total of 376 camels were screened for MERS-Cov at a live animal market in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE. In all, 109 MERS-CoV-positive camels were detected in week 1, and a subset of positive camels were sampled again weeks 3 through 6. A total of 126 full and 3 nearly full genomes were obtained from 139 samples. Spike gene sequences were obtained from 5 of the 10 remaining samples. The camel MERS-CoV genomes from this study represent 3 known and 2 potentially new lineages within clade B. Within lineages, diversity of camel and human MERS-CoV sequences are intermixed. We identified sequences from market camels nearly identical to the previously reported 2015 German case who visited the market during his incubation period. We described 10 recombination events in the camel samples. The most frequent recombination breakpoint was the junctions between ORF1b and S. Evidence suggests MERS-CoV infection in humans results from continued introductions of distinct MERS-CoV lineages from camels. This hypothesis is supported by the camel MERS-CoV genomes sequenced in this study. Our study expands the known repertoire of camel MERS-CoVs circulating on the Arabian Peninsula.
تنزيل الآن
Identification of diverse viruses in upper respiratory samples in dromedary camels from United Arab Emirates
Yan Li1☯, Abdelmalik Ibrahim Khalafalla2☯, Clinton R. Paden1,3☯, Mohammed F. Yusof2☯, Yassir M. Eltahir2, Zulaikha M. Al Hammadi2, Ying Tao1, Krista Queen1,3, Farida Al Hosani4, Susan I. Gerber1, Aron J. Hall1, Salama Al Muhairi2³*, Suxiang Tong1³*
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184718 September 13, 2017
Abstract
Camels are known carriers for many viral pathogens, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). It is likely that there are additional, as yet unidentified viruses in camels with the potential to cause disease in humans. In this study, we performed metagenomic sequencing analysis on nasopharyngeal swab samples from 108 MERSCoV- positive dromedary camels from a live animal market in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. We obtained a total of 846.72 million high-quality reads from these nasopharyngeal swab samples, of which 2.88 million (0.34%) were related to viral sequences while 512.63 million (60.5%) and 50.87 million (6%) matched bacterial and eukaryotic sequences, respectively. Among the viral reads, sequences related to mammalian viruses from 13 genera in 10 viral families were identified, including Coronaviridae, Nairoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Polyomaviridae, Papillomaviridae, Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, Poxviridae, and Genomoviridae. Some viral sequences belong to known camel or human viruses and others are from potentially novel camel viruses with only limited sequence similarity to virus sequences in GenBank. A total of five potentially novel virus species or strains were identified. Co-infection of at least two recently identified camel coronaviruses was detected in 92.6% of the camels in the study. This study provides a comprehensive survey of viruses in the virome of upper respiratory samples in camels that have extensive contact with the human population
تنزيل الآن
Investigation on papillomavirus infection in dromedary camels in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Abdelmalik Ibrahim Khalafalla1,2,*, Ramadan Omer Ramadan3, Annabel Rector4 and Seif Barakat5
Open Veterinary Journal, (2017), Vol. 7(2): 174-179
Abstract
We investigated two outbreaks of papillomatosis between 2013 and 2015 in Al Ahsa region of eastern Saudi Arabia involving fourteen dromedary camels. The disease affected both young and adult animals and occurred in coincidence with demodectic mange infestation. Diagnosis was made based on gross and histopathological characteristics of the wart lesion and was confirmed by PCR. Rolling circle amplification followed by degenerate primer PCR and sequencing of the amplicons revealed the presence of both Camelus dromedarius papillomavirus types 1 and 2, previously identified in infected dromedaries in Sudan
تنزيل الآن
Epidemiological investigation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in dromedary camel farms linked with human infection in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Salama Al Muhairi1 . Farida Al Hosani2 . Yassir M. Eltahir3 . Mariam Al Mulla2 . Mohammed F. Yusof1 . Wissam S. Serhan1 . Farouq M. Hashem1 . Elsaeid A. Elsayed4 . Bahaaeldin A. Marzoug4 . Assem S. Abdelazim4
Asymptomatic MERS-CoV Infection in Humans Possibly Linked to Infected Dromedaries Imported from Oman to United Arab Emirates, May 2015
Abstract
The objective of this research was to investigate the prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection primarily in dromedary camel farms and the relationship of those infections with infections in humans in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Nasal swabs from 1113 dromedary camels (39 farms) and 34 sheep (1 farm) and sputum samples from 2 MERS-CoVinfected camel farm owners and 1 MERS-CoV-infected] sheep farm owner were collected. Samples from camels and humans underwent real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR screening to detect MERS-CoV. In addition, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of partially= characterized MERS-CoV genome fragments obtained from camels were performed. Among the 40 farms, 6 camel farms were positive for MERS-CoV; the virus was not detected in the single sheep farm. The maximum= duration of viral shedding from infected camels was 2 weeks after the first positive test result as detected in nasal swabs and in rectal swabs obtained from infected calves. Three partial camel sequences characterized in this study (open reading frames 1a and 1ab, Spike1, Spike2, and ORF4b) together with the corresponding regions of previously reported MERS-CoV sequence obtained from one farm owner were clustering together within the larger MERS-CoV sequences cluster containing human and camel isolates reported for the Arabian Peninsula. Data provided further evidence of the zoonotic potential of MERS-CoV infection and strongly suggested that camels may have a role in the transmission of the virus to humans.
تنزيل الآن
Asymptomatic MERS-CoV Infection in Humans Possibly Linked to Infected Dromedaries Imported from Oman to United Arab Emirates, May 2015
Zulaikha M. Al Hammadi, Daniel K.W. Chu,Yassir M. Eltahir, Farida Al Hosani, Mariam Al Mulla, Wasim Tarnini, Aron J. Hall, Ranawaka A.P.M. Perera, Mohamed M. Abdelkhalek, J.S.M. Peiris, Salama S. Al Muhairi, Leo L.M. Poon
Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 21, No. 12, December 2015
Abstract
In May 2015 in United Arab Emirates, asymptomatic Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection was identified through active case finding in 2 men with exposure to infected dromedaries. Epidemiologic and virologic findings suggested zoonotic transmission. Genetic sequences for viruses from the men and camels were similar to those for viruses recently detected in other countries
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first detected in humans in 2012 (1). Before 2015, most human infections occurred on the Arabian Peninsula. However, the recent occurrence of MERS in South Korea indicates that this pathogen can cause major outbreaks in other regions (2). Dromedaries are believed to be a source of MERS-CoV (3,4), but only a few case reports provide virologic and epidemiologic evidence that directly supports zoonotic transmission of the virus from dromedaries to humans (5–7). We report the detection of epidemiologically linked MERS-CoV infection in 2 men who had direct contact with infected dromedaries (8,9).
تنزيل الآن
Development and Validation of a Rapid Immunochromatographic Assay for Detection of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Antigen in Dromedary Camels
Daesub Song,a Gunwoo Ha,b Wissam Serhan,c Yassir Eltahir,d Mohammed Yusof,c Farouq Hashem,c Elsaeid Elsayed,e Bahaaeldin Marzoug,e Assem Abdelazim,e Salama Al Muhairic
Journal of Clinical Microbiology April 2015 Volume 53 Number 4
Abstract
Viral Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Koreaa; BioNote, Inc., Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Koreab; Veterinary Laboratories Division, Animal Wealth Sector, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emiratesc; Epidemiology Section, Animal Wealth Sector, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emiratesd; Veterinary Services Section, Animal Wealth Sector, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emiratese
We present here a rapid immunochromatographic assay for the detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) antigen in the nasal swabs of dromedary camels. The assay is based on the detection of MERS-CoV nucleocapsid protein in a short time frame using highly selective monoclonal antibodies at room temperature. The relative sensitivity and specificity of the assay were found to be 93.90% and 100%, respectively, compared to that of the UpE and open reading frame 1A (Orf1A) real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). The results suggest that the assay developed here is a useful tool for the rapid diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance of MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels.
تنزيل الآن
Prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Mohammed F. Yusof • Yassir M. Eltahir • Wissam S. Serhan • Farouk M. Hashem • Elsaeid A. Elsayed • Bahaaeldin A. Marzoug • Assem Si Abdelazim • Oum Keltoum A. Bensalah • Salama S. Al Muhairi
Virus Genes DOI 10.1007/s11262-015-1174-0
Abstract
High seroprevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels has
been previously reported in United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, the molecular detection of the virus has never been reported before in UAE. Of the 7,803 nasal swabs tested in the epidemiological survey, MERS-CoV nucleic acid was detected by real-time PCR in a total of 126 (1.6 %) camels. Positive
camels were detected at the borders with Saudi Arabia andOman and in camels' slaughter houses. MERS-CoV partial sequences obtained from UAE camels were clustering with human- and camel-derived MERS-CoV sequences in the same geographic area. Results provide further evidence ofMERS-CoV zoonosis
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