High proportion of MERS-CoV shedding dromedaries at slaughterhouse with a potential epidemiological link to human cases, Qatar 2014

Farag, Elmoubasher A. B. A.; Reusken, Chantal B. E. M.; Haagmans, Bart L.; Mohran, Khaled A.; Raj, V. Stalin; Pas, Suzan D.; Voermans, Jolanda; Smits, Saskia L.; Godeke, Gert-Jan; Al-Hajri, Mohd. M.; Alhajri, Farhoud H.; Al-Romaihi, Hamad E.; Ghobashy, Hazem; El-Maghraby, Mamdouh M.; El-Sayed, Ahmed M.; Al Thani, Mohamed H. J.; Al-Marri, Salih; Koopmans, Marion P. G.

D romedary camels are likely the primary source of Middle East respiratory syndrome virus (MERS-CoV) infection in humans, but further evidence is needed to support their role in zoonotic transmission. Two of the earliest diagnosed cases in Qatar were men who had visited the Doha central animal market and the adjoining central slaughterhouse (Farag, pers. comm.). Therefore, pre-and postmortem sampling was conducted on dromedary camels (n0105) at the central slaughterhouse in Doha, Qatar. Nasal, oral, and rectal swabs collected prior to slaughter were tested for the presence of MERS-CoV RNA. Most of the camels that were sampled showed evidence for MERS-CoV shedding at the time of slaughter (59%). Sequence analysis showed the circulation of at least five different virus strains at the slaughterhouse premises. An understanding of the extent and pattern of MERS-CoV shedding by dromedaries presenting for slaughter provides insight into the risks for MERS-CoV exposure of persons with occupational contact with live camels and their carcasses.