Lack of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Transmission in Rabbits

Bibliographic Details
Title: Lack of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Transmission in Rabbits
Authors: W. Widagdo, Nisreen M. A. Okba, Mathilde Richard, Dennis de Meulder, Theo M. Bestebroer, Pascal Lexmond, Elmoubasher A. B. A. Farag, Mohammed Al-Hajri, Koert J. Stittelaar, Leon de Waal, Geert van Amerongen, Judith M. A. van den Brand, Bart L. Haagmans, Sander Herfst
Source: Viruses, Vol 11, Iss 4, p 381 (2019)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2019.
Publication Year: 2019
Collection: LCC:Microbiology
Subject Terms: MERS-coronavirus, transmission, rabbits, Microbiology, QR1-502
More Details: 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.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1999-4915
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/4/381; https://doaj.org/toc/1999-4915
DOI: 10.3390/v11040381
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/6c27500ed0bd49779628fc72709b167a
Accession Number: edsdoj.6c27500ed0bd49779628fc72709b167a
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:19994915
DOI:10.3390/v11040381
Published in:Viruses
Language:English