A Paucity of Detection of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Nucleic Acids in the Vaginal Secretions and the Urine of Some Naturally Infected Dromedary Camels

摘要

The dromedary camels play some critical roles in the evolution and transmission cycle of the MERS-CoV. There are no current available vaccines or antiviral medications to do prevention or to treat humans against the virus, respectively. Few studies reported the course of the MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels under both the experiment and natural infection approaches. The curve of the viral particle, as well as its nucleic acids in nasal secretions of the dromedary camels, was reported in more details. However, MERS-CoV shedding in some other secretions such as vaginal secretions still understudied. The main goal of the current study was to check the possibility of MERS-CoV shedding of the MERS-CoV through the vaginal mucous membranes of some female camels. To achieve these goals, we conducted molecular surveillance on one dromedary camel herd in eastern Saudi Arabia. We collected the following swabs per each animal (nasal, rectal, and vaginal) as well as urine samples during the period from Jan 2020-April 2020. Testing of MERS-CoV nucleic acid (NA) was conducted in these swabs by the real-time PCR kits. Our results are showing that (47%, 21%, 0%, and 0%) of the (nasal, rectal, and vaginal) swabs, as well as the urine, were positive, respectively. All the tested vaginal swabs were negative. This may suggest the absence of MERS-CoV shedding in the female genital tract and urine samples despite the detection of the viral NA in the nasal swabs. This study is showing for the first time the failure of detection of the MERS-CoV in the vaginal secretions of some naturally infected dromedary camels. This result is enriching our understanding of the MERS-CoV shedding in various body secretions and excretions.