Local and introduced lineages drive MERS-CoV recombination in Egyptian camels.

ABSTRACT: Dromedary camels are the primary reservoir for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a zoonotic coronavirus responsible for sporadic human infections. While clade B predominates in the Arabian Peninsula and is frequently linked to zoonotic outbreaks and household secondary transmission, clade C circulates primarily in African camels, with limited evidence of human infections. The extent of MERS-CoV transmission, genetic diversity, and cross-species potential in North Africa remains poorly characterized. Here, we investigate MERS-CoV incidence, seroprevalence, and genomic recombination in dromedary camels and sympatric livestock across slaughterhouses and farms in Egypt. MERS-CoV was detected in 12% of camels sampled at slaughterhouses, with no evidence of infection in ca

SUBMITTER: Gomaa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12724290 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature