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Ongoing outbreaks of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) since 2012 have been linked to a novel coronavirus (CoV). Despite evidence that the viral reservoir is the dromedary camel, whether the camel is the source of human infections has been unclear. An international team of investigators now reports the results of CoV surveillance in camels performed in Saudi Arabia in 2014 and 2015.
A CoV was identified in 25.3% of nasal swabs from camels, primarily from animals in wholesale markets. The MERS-CoV and two related CoVs were found, with a higher prevalence found in juvenile animals. More than half of the camels carrying the MERS-CoV also carried a second CoV. Phylogenetic analysis of the MERS-CoV isolates in this study showed evidence…