Emerging Infectious Diseases (Mar 2024)

Biphasic MERS-CoV Incidence in Nomadic Dromedaries with Putative Transmission to Humans, Kenya, 2022–2023

  • Brian Maina Ogoti,
  • Victor Riitho,
  • Johanna Wildemann,
  • Nyamai Mutono,
  • Julia Tesch,
  • Jordi Rodon,
  • Kaneemozhe Harichandran,
  • Jackson Emanuel,
  • Elisabeth Möncke-Buchner,
  • Stella Kiambi,
  • Julius Oyugi,
  • Marianne Mureithi,
  • Victor M. Corman,
  • Christian Drosten,
  • Samuel M. Thumbi,
  • Marcel A. Müller

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3003.231488
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 3
pp. 581 – 585

Abstract

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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is endemic in dromedaries in Africa, but camel-to-human transmission is limited. Sustained 12-month sampling of dromedaries in a Kenya abattoir hub showed biphasic MERS-CoV incidence; peak detections occurred in October 2022 and February 2023. Dromedary-exposed abattoir workers (7/48) had serologic signs of previous MERS-CoV exposure.

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