Infection, Replication, and Transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Alpacas

Adney, Danielle R.; Bielefeldt‐Ohmann, Helle; Hartwig, Airn E.; Bowen, Richard A.

doi:10.3201/eid2206.160192

Cited by 53 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Alpacas have been suggested as a surrogate model for MERS vaccine evaluation as they facilitate animal-toanimal transmission and were protected from reinfection [30]; however, when the same vaccine was tested in both alpacas and dromedaries there were differences in immunogenicity and efficacy [31]. All alpacas seroconverted and were completely protected whereas only some dromedaries seroconvert and showed partial protection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels

Alharbi

Ibrahim²,

Alhafufi³

et al. 2020

Virol J

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Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging virus that infects humans and camels with no approved antiviral therapy or vaccine. Some vaccines are in development for camels as a one-health intervention where vaccinating camels is proposed to reduce human viral exposure. This intervention will require an understanding of the prior exposure of camels to the virus and appropriate vaccine efficacy studies in camels. Methods: We conducted a cross sectional seroprevalence study in young dromedary camels to determine the rate of MERS-CoV seropositivity in young camels. Next, we utilised naturally infected camels as a natural challenge model that can be used by co-housing these camels with healthy naive camels in a ratio of 1 to 2. This model is aimed to support studies on natural virus transmission as well as evaluating drug and vaccine efficacy. Results: We found that 90% of the screened camels have pre-existing antibodies for MERS-CoV. In addition, the challenge model resulted in MERS-CoV transmission within 48 h with infections that continued for 14 days post challenge. Conclusions: Our finding suggests that the majority of young dromedary camels in Saudi Arabia are seropositive and that naturally infected camels can serve as a challenge model to assess transmission, therapeutics, and vaccine efficacy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels

Alharbi

Ibrahim²,

Alhafufi³

et al. 2020

Virol J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Non-human primates have been successfully infected, with rhesus macaques displaying a mild, transient illness and marmosets demonstrating a more severe and sometimes lethal infection [ 22 – 25 ], although there is some discrepancy in findings from marmosets [ 26 ]. Camels and alpacas have also been experimentally infected and exhibit transient viral replication in the upper respiratory tract [ 27 , 28 ]. However, the expense and care of camels and the ethical concerns surrounding the use of non-human primates limits their widespread utility for research studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced inflammation in New Zealand white rabbits when MERS-CoV reinfection occurs in the absence of neutralizing antibody

et al. 2017

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The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic betacoronavirus that was first detected in humans in 2012 as a cause of severe acute respiratory disease. As of July 28, 2017, there have been 2,040 confirmed cases with 712 reported deaths. While many infections have been fatal, there have also been a large number of mild or asymptomatic cases discovered through monitoring and contact tracing. New Zealand white rabbits are a possible model for asymptomatic infection with MERS-CoV. In order to discover more about non-lethal infections and to learn whether a single infection with MERS-CoV would protect against reinfection, we inoculated rabbits with MERS-CoV and monitored the antibody and inflammatory response. Following intranasal infection, rabbits developed a transient dose-dependent pulmonary infection with moderately high levels of viral RNA, viral antigen, and perivascular inflammation in multiple lung lobes that was not associated with clinical signs. The rabbits developed antibodies against viral proteins that lacked neutralizing activity and the animals were not protected from reinfection. In fact, reinfection resulted in enhanced pulmonary inflammation, without an associated increase in viral RNA titers. Interestingly, passive transfer of serum from previously infected rabbits to naïve rabbits was associated with enhanced inflammation upon infection. We further found this inflammation was accompanied by increased recruitment of complement proteins compared to primary infection. However, reinfection elicited neutralizing antibodies that protected rabbits from subsequent viral challenge. Our data from the rabbit model suggests that people exposed to MERS-CoV who fail to develop a neutralizing antibody response, or persons whose neutralizing antibody titers have waned, may be at risk for severe lung disease on re-exposure to MERS-CoV.

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“…Indeed, common warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus), bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus) and wild boars are commonly found in the Greater Horn of Africa or the Middle East, sharing the same habitats and water sources with dromedaries (Cumming, 2008;Vergara-Alert, Vidal, Bensaid, & Segal es, 2017). A recent study in alpacas demonstrated efficient animal-to-animal transmission (Adney, Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Hartwig, & Bowen, 2016) but, to our knowledge, evidence for transmission between animals from other species has not been reported. To study whether MERS-CoV might be transmitted between pigs, an experimental transmission study in this animal model was designed and performed under direct and indirect contact settings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus experimental transmission using a pig model

Vergara‐Alert

Raj

Muñoz

et al. 2017

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Summary Dromedary camels are the main reservoir of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV), but other livestock species (i.e., alpacas, llamas, and pigs) are also susceptible to infection with MERS‐CoV. Animal‐to‐animal transmission in alpacas was reported, but evidence for transmission in other species has not been proved. This study explored pig‐to‐pig MERS‐CoV transmission experimentally. Virus was present in nasal swabs of infected animals, and limited amounts of viral RNA, but no infectious virus were detected in the direct contact pigs. No virus was detected in the indirect contact group. Furthermore, direct and indirect contact pigs did not develop specific antibodies against MERS‐CoV. Therefore, the role of pigs as reservoir is probably negligible, although it deserves further confirmation.

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Infection, Replication, and Transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Alpacas

Abstract: These animals might be useful surrogates for camels in laboratory studies of this virus.

Cited by 53 publications

References 28 publications

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels

Enhanced inflammation in New Zealand white rabbits when MERS-CoV reinfection occurs in the absence of neutralizing antibody

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus experimental transmission using a pig model

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