학술논문
Lack of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Transmission in Rabbits.
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Widagdo W; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. w.widagdo@erasmusmc.nl.; Okba NMA; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. n.okba@erasmusmc.nl.; Richard M; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.richard@erasmusmc.nl.; de Meulder D; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. d.demeulder@erasmusmc.nl.; Bestebroer TM; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. t.bestebroer@erasmusmc.nl.; Lexmond P; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. p.lexmond@erasmusmc.nl.; Farag EABA; Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar, PO Box. 42. eabdfarag@MOPH.GOV.QA.; Al-Hajri M; Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar, PO Box. 42. malhajri1@MOPH.GOV.QA.; Stittelaar KJ; Viroclinics Biosciences BV, Rotterdam 3029 AK, The Netherlands. stittelaar@viroclinics.com.; de Waal L; Viroclinics Biosciences BV, Rotterdam 3029 AK, The Netherlands. dewaal@viroclinics.com.; van Amerongen G; Viroclinics Biosciences BV, Rotterdam 3029 AK, The Netherlands. amerongen@viroclinics.com.; van den Brand JMA; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.m.a.vandenbrand@uu.nl.; Haagmans BL; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. b.haagmans@erasmusmc.nl.; Herfst S; Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. s.herfst@erasmusmc.nl.
Source
Publisher: MDPI Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101509722 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1999-4915 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19994915 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Viruses Subsets: MEDLINE
Subject
Language
English
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) transmission from dromedaries to humans has resulted in major outbreaks in the Middle East. Although some other livestock animal species have been shown to be susceptible to MERS-CoV, it is not fully understood why the spread of the virus in these animal species has not been observed in the field. In this study, we used rabbits to further characterize the transmission potential of MERS-CoV. In line with the presence of MERS-CoV receptor in the rabbit nasal epithelium, high levels of viral RNA were shed from the nose following virus inoculation. However, unlike MERS-CoV-infected dromedaries, these rabbits did not develop clinical manifestations including nasal discharge and did shed only limited amounts of infectious virus from the nose. Consistently, no transmission by contact or airborne routes was observed in rabbits. Our data indicate that despite relatively high viral RNA levels produced, low levels of infectious virus are excreted in the upper respiratory tract of rabbits as compared to dromedary camels, thus resulting in a lack of viral transmission.