Phylogenetic Analysis of MERS-CoV in a Camel Abattoir, Saudi Arabia, 2016-2018

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Dec;26(12):3089-3091. doi: 10.3201/eid2612.191094.

Abstract

We detected Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) RNA in 305/1,131 (27%) camels tested at an abattoir in Al Hasa, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, during January 2016-March 2018. We characterized 48 full-length MERS-CoV genomes and noted the viruses clustered in MERS-CoV lineage 5 clade B.

Keywords: MERS; MERS-CoV; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Saudi Arabia; abattoir; camels; coronavirus; dromedary; phylogeny; respiratory infections; viruses; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Abattoirs*
  • Aging
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Camelus*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Female
  • Male
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / classification
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / genetics*
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / isolation & purification
  • Phylogeny*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • RNA, Viral