This article summarizes progress in research on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) since a FAO-OIE-WHO Global Technical Meeting held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva on 25-27 September 2017. The meeting reviewed the latest scientific findings and identified and prioritized the global activities necessary to prevent, manage and control the disease. Critical needs for research and technical guidance identified during the meeting have been used to update the WHO R&D MERS-CoV Roadmap for diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines and a broader public health research agenda. Since the 2017 meeting, progress has been made on several key actions in animal populations, at the animal/human interface and in human populations. This report also summarizes the latest scientific studies on MERS since 2017, including data from more than 50 research studies examining the presence of MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels.

Cross-sectional serological surveys of 13,006 small ruminants were conducted in 2003 to establish baseline levels of seropositivity to brucellosis and of 12,102 again in 2009 to evaluate the efficacy of controls based on biannual conjunctival vaccination with Rev 1. Seroprevalence dropped by 80 per cent in five years in eight pilot programme districts where vaccination was generally well implemented, and the prevalence of households with evidence of infection in their animals dropped from 25.1 to 7.5 per cent. Seroprevalence was reduced by 40 per cent in 10 districts where vaccination was intermittent with low coverage during some seasons. There were no changes in 19 districts where no vaccinations were carried out. Sheep vaccinated one or more times were found to be 2.5 times more likely to be serotest positive than were non-vaccinated sheep, whereas vaccinated goats were 6.4 times more likely to be serotest positive than non-vaccinated goats.

A cross-sectional serological survey of the prevalence of brucellosis in ruminants in the Region of Republican Subordination and Khatlon oblasts (provinces) in Tajikistan was conducted in May 2003. Sera from 13,625 ruminants involving 3513 households in 172 kishlaks (villages) were collected and screened by the rose bengal test. Doubtful and positive results were further tested with competitive and indirect elisas. The overall serological prevalences (95 per cent confidence intervals [cis]) were 5.8 per cent (5.2 to 6.4 per cent) for sheep, 5.5 per cent (5.0 to 6.0 per cent) for goats and 2.1 per cent (1.0 to 3.2 per cent) for cattle. The results show that brucellosis was a common disease of ruminants that was widely but unevenly distributed throughout the two oblasts. Seropositive animals were found in 119 of the 172 kishlaks (69.2 per cent [95 per cent ci 61.9 to 75.6 per cent]) and 14.4 per cent (95 per cent ci 13.3 to 15.6 per cent) of the 3513 households. Evidence of infection was also found in cattle kept for milk production in urban kishlaks in two major cities and in state-owned dairy farms.

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