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Volume 21, Number 12—December 2015
Dispatch

Asymptomatic MERS-CoV Infection in Humans Possibly Linked to Infected Dromedaries Imported from Oman to United Arab Emirates, May 2015

Zulaikha M. Al Hammadi1, Daniel K.W. Chu1, Yassir M. Eltahir, Farida Al Hosani, Mariam Al Mulla, Wasim Tarnini, Aron J. Hall, Ranawaka A.P.M. Perera, Mohamed M. Abdelkhalek, J.S.M. Peiris, Salama S. Al MuhairiComments to Author , and Leo L.M. PoonComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Z.M. Al Hammadi, Y.M. Eltahir, M.M. Abdelkhalek, S.S. Al Muhairi); The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China (D.K.W. Chu, R.A.P.M. Perera, J.S.M. Peiris, L.L.M. Poon); Department of Communicable Diseases, Public Health and Research, Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (F. Al Hosani, M. Al Mulla, W. Tarnini); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (A.J. Hall)

Main Article

Table 2

Demographic data and clinical test results for MERS-CoV–infected dromedary camels imported from Oman to United Arab Emirates, May 2015*

Camel ID Age/sex Purpose of importation Mucopurulent nasal discharge† Test results
RT-PCR
(Ct)†‡ Rapid antigen test†§ Serum neutralizing antibody titer†¶
ADFCA-HKU1 4 m/F Breeding Moderate Pos (24.54) Pos 1:40
ADFCA-HKU2 4 m/F Breeding Moderate Pos (27.59) Pos 1:40
ADFCA-HKU3 4 m/F Breeding Moderate Pos (28.82) Neg 1:80
ADFCA-HKU4 7 m/F Breeding Moderate Pos (29.81) Neg 1:80
ADFCA-HKU5 10 y/F Breeding Mild Pos (30.05) Neg 1:160

*Ct, cycle threshold; ID, identification; MERS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome; Neg, negative; Pos, positive; RT-PCR, reverse transcription PCR.
†Observations or samples from the second sampling on May 14, 2015.
‡Results were determined by open reading frame 1A and upstream of E gene RT-PCR assays; Ct values were from the open reading frame 1A assay. Ct values from both assays were comparable (data not shown).
§Results were determined by immunochromatographic tests for MERS-CoV nucleocapsid protein (12).
¶Results were determined by pseudoparticle neutralization assays (11).

Main Article

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Main Article

1These first authors contributed equally to this article.

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Page updated: November 23, 2015
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