Missing information in animal surveillance of MERS-CoV

摘要

Chantal Reusken and colleagues have identified neutralising antibodies against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels, suggesting the role of camels in harbouring the virus and infecting human beings. The study findings suggest that bats and camels jointly play an important part in the persistence and evolution of MERS-CoV, resulting in spillover to the human population. Theoretical epidemiologists refer to such combinations of animal hosts as the reservoir community.