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Zhou Z, Ali A, Walelign E, Demissie GF, El Masry I, Abayneh T, Getachew B, Krishnan P, Ng DY, Gardner E, Makonnen Y, Miguel E, Chevalier V, Chu DK, So RTY, Von Dobschuetz S, Mamo G, Poon LLM, Peiris M. Genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in dromedaries in Ethiopia, 2017-2020. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:e2164218. [PMID: 36620913 PMCID: PMC9888459 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2164218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is enzootic in dromedary camels and causes zoonotic infection and disease in humans. Although over 80% of the global population of infected dromedary camels are found in Africa, zoonotic disease had only been reported in the Arabia Peninsula and travel-associated disease has been reported elsewhere. In this study, genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of MERS-CoV in dromedary camels in Ethiopia were investigated during 2017-2020. Of 1766 nasal swab samples collected, 61 (3.5%) were detected positive for MERS-CoV RNA. Of 484 turbinate swab samples collected, 10 (2.1%) were detected positive for MERS-CoV RNA. Twenty-five whole genome sequences were obtained from these MERS-CoV positive samples. Phylogenetically, these Ethiopian camel-originated MERS-CoV belonged to clade C2, clustering with other East African camel strains. Virus sequences from camel herds clustered geographically while in an abattoir, two distinct phylogenetic clusters of MERS-CoVs were observed in two sequential sampling collections, which indicates the greater genetic diversity of MERS-CoV in abattoirs. In contrast to clade A and B viruses from the Arabian Peninsula, clade C camel-originated MERS-CoV from Ethiopia had various nucleotide insertions and deletions in non-structural gene nsp3, accessory genes ORF3 and ORF5 and structural gene N. This study demonstrates the genetic instability of MERS-CoV in dromedaries in East Africa, which indicates that the virus is still actively adapting to its camel host. The impact of the observed nucleotide insertions and deletions on virus evolution, viral fitness, and zoonotic potential deserves further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Zhou
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Abraham Ali
- Bacterial, Parasitic and Zoonotic Diseases Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Immunology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Elias Walelign
- Food and Agriculture Organization, Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Getnet F. Demissie
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Epidemiology, Microbiology and Public Health, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia
| | - Ihab El Masry
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Pavithra Krishnan
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daisy Y.M. Ng
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Emma Gardner
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Yilma Makonnen
- Food and Agriculture Organization, Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Eve Miguel
- Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques et Ecosystèmes, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France,Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie Genetique, Evolution et Controle, L’Institut de Recherche pour le Developpment, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Véronique Chevalier
- International Center of Research in Agriculture for Development (CIRAD), UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France,CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Antananarivo, Madagascar,Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Daniel K. Chu
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Ray T. Y. So
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | | | - Gezahegne Mamo
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Immunology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Leo L. M. Poon
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Malik Peiris
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China, Malik Peiris
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Sugimoto S, Kakizaki M, Kawase M, Kawachi K, Ujike M, Kamitani W, Sentsui H, Shirato K. Single Amino Acid Substitution in the Receptor Binding Domain of Spike Protein Is Sufficient To Convert the Neutralization Profile between Ethiopian and Middle Eastern Isolates of Middle East Respiratory Coronavirus. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0459022. [PMID: 36744940 PMCID: PMC10100835 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04590-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic virus that causes MERS, which is endemic in the Middle East. The absence of human cases in Africa despite the presence of MERS-CoV suggests virological differences between MERS-CoVs in Africa and the Middle East. In fact, in the laboratory, recombinant MERS-CoV carrying the spike (S) protein of Ethiopian isolates exhibits attenuated properties, being more easily neutralized and replicating slower than viruses carrying the S protein of Middle Eastern isolate, EMC. In this study, to identify the amino acids that define the different virological features between Ethiopian and Middle Eastern MERS-CoVs, neutralization titers and viral replication were evaluated using recombinant MERS-CoVs carrying amino acid substitution(s) in the S protein. A single amino acid difference introduced into the receptor binding domain was sufficient to reverse the difference in the neutralizing properties of the S protein between Ethiopian and Middle Eastern MERS-CoVs. Furthermore, amino acid mutations in the S1 and S2 regions of S protein were collectively involved in slow viral replication. Since even a single amino acid difference in S protein can reverse the viral properties of MERS-CoV, it should be noted that multiple mutations may induce a significant change. Careful monitoring of genetic alterations in MERS-CoVs in Africa is therefore required to detect the emergence of virulent strains generated by a few genetic differences. IMPORTANCE There have been no reported cases of human Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in Africa, despite the presence of MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Previous studies have shown that recombinant MERS-CoV carrying the S protein of an Ethiopian isolate replicated slower and was more easily neutralized relative to MERS-CoV carrying the S protein of a Middle Eastern isolate. In this study, we investigated the amino acid(s) in S protein associated with the different viral characteristics between Ethiopian and Middle Eastern MERS-CoVs. The results revealed that a single amino acid difference in the receptor binding domain was sufficient to reverse the neutralization profile. This implies that slight genetic changes can alter the predominant population of MERS-CoV, similar to the transition of variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Careful genetic monitoring of isolates is important to detect the spread of possible virulent MERS-CoVs generated by mutation(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Sugimoto
- Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan
- Management Department of Biosafety, Laboratory Animals, and Pathogen Bank, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Kakizaki
- Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miyuki Kawase
- Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kengo Kawachi
- Laboratory of Clinical Research on Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makoto Ujike
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wataru Kamitani
- Laboratory of Clinical Research on Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Host Defense, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sentsui
- Laboratory of Veterinary Epizootiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuya Shirato
- Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan
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Peiris M, Perlman S. Unresolved questions in the zoonotic transmission of MERS. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 52:258-264. [PMID: 34999369 PMCID: PMC8734234 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is the second of three zoonotic coronaviruses to infect humans since 2002, causing severe pneumonia. Unlike SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, the causes of the severe acute respiratory syndrome and Covid-19, respectively, MERS-CoV is enzootic in dromedary camels, a domestic/companion animal present across Africa, the Middle East and Central or South Asia and is sporadically transmitted to humans. However, it does not transmit readily from human to human except in hospital and household settings. Human MERS disease is reported only from the Arabian Peninsula (and only since 2012 even though the virus was detected in camels from at least the early 1990's) and in travelers from this region. Remarkably, no zoonotic MERS disease has been detected in Africa or Asia, even in areas of high density of MERS-CoV infected dromedaries. Here, we review aspects of MERS biology and epidemiology that might contribute to this lack of correlation between sites of camel infection and human zoonotic disease. Since MERS-CoV or MERS-like CoV have pandemic potential, further investigations into this disparity is critical, to forestall pandemics caused by this virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik Peiris
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R. China; School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R. China.
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
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van Doremalen N, Letko M, Fischer RJ, Bushmaker T, Schulz J, Yinda CK, Seifert SN, Kim NJ, Hemida MG, Kayali G, Park WB, Perera RA, Tamin A, Thornburg NJ, Tong S, Queen K, van Kerkhove MD, Choi YK, Oh MD, Assiri AM, Peiris M, Gerber SI, Munster VJ. Surface‒Aerosol Stability and Pathogenicity of Diverse Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Strains, 2012‒2018. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:3052-3062. [PMID: 34808078 PMCID: PMC8632154 DOI: 10.3201/eid2712.210344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infects humans and dromedary camels and is responsible for an ongoing outbreak of severe respiratory illness in humans in the Middle East. Although some mutations found in camel-derived MERS-CoV strains have been characterized, most natural variation found across MERS-CoV isolates remains unstudied. We report on the environmental stability, replication kinetics, and pathogenicity of several diverse isolates of MERS-CoV, as well as isolates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, to serve as a basis of comparison with other stability studies. Although most MERS-CoV isolates had similar stability and pathogenicity in our experiments, the camel-derived isolate C/KSA/13 had reduced surface stability, and another camel isolate, C/BF/15, had reduced pathogenicity in a small animal model. These results suggest that although betacoronaviruses might have similar environmental stability profiles, individual variation can influence this phenotype, underscoring the need for continual global viral surveillance.
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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus Spike protein variants exhibit geographic differences in virulence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102983118. [PMID: 34099556 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102983118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) cases were detected primarily in the Middle East before a major outbreak occurred in South Korea in 2015. The Korean outbreak was initiated by a single infected individual, allowing studies of virus evolution in the absence of further MERS-CoV introduction into human populations. In contrast, MERS is primarily a camel disease on the Arabian Peninsula and in Africa, with clinical disease in humans only in the former location. Previous work identified two mutations in the South Korean MERS-CoV, D510G and I529T on the Spike (S) protein, that led to impaired binding to the receptor. However, whether these mutations affected virulence is unknown. To address this question, we constructed isogenic viruses expressing mutations found in the S protein from Korean isolates and showed that isogenic viruses carrying the Korean MERS-CoV mutations, D510G or I529T, were attenuated in mice, resulting in greater survival, less induction of inflammatory cytokines, and less severe lung injury. In contrast, isogenic viruses expressing S proteins from African isolates were nearly fully virulent; other studies showed that West African camel isolates carry mutations in MERS-CoV accessory proteins, which may limit human transmission. These data indicate that following a single-point introduction of the virus, MERS-CoV S protein evolved rapidly in South Korea to adapt to human populations, with consequences on virulence. In contrast, the mutations in S proteins of African isolates did not change virulence, indicating that S protein variation likely does not play a major role in the lack of camel-to-human transmission in Africa.
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Farrag MA, Amer HM, Bhat R, Almajhdi FN. Sequence and phylogentic analysis of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia, 2012-2019. Virol J 2021; 18:90. [PMID: 33931099 PMCID: PMC8085657 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01563-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to exist in the Middle East sporadically. Thorough investigations of the evolution of human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are urgently required. In the current study, we studied amplified fragments of ORF1a/b, Spike (S) gene, ORF3/4a, and ORF4b of four human MERS-CoV strains for tracking the evolution of MERS-CoV over time. METHODS RNA isolated from nasopharyngeal aspirate, sputum, and tracheal swabs/aspirates from hospitalized patients with suspected MERS-CoV infection were analyzed for amplification of nine variable genomic fragments. Sequence comparisons were done using different bioinformatics tools available. RESULTS Several mutations were identified in ORF1a/b, ORF3/4a and ORF4b, with the highest mutation rates in the S gene. Five codons; 4 in ORF1a and 1 in the S gene, were found to be under selective pressure. Characteristic amino acid changes, potentially hosted and year specific were defined across the S protein and in the receptor-binding domain Phylogenetic analysis using S gene sequence revealed clustering of MERS-CoV strains into three main clades, A, B and C with subdivision of with clade B into B1 to B4. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, MERS-CoV appears to continuously evolve. It is recommended that the molecular and pathobiological characteristics of future MERS-CoV strains should be analyzed on regular basis to prevent potential future outbreaks at early phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Farrag
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haitham M Amer
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211, Egypt
| | - Rauf Bhat
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad N Almajhdi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Alnaeem A, Kasem S, Qasim I, Refaat M, Alhufufi AN, Al-Doweriej A, Al-Shabebi A, Hereba AERT, Hemida MG. Scanning Electron Microscopic Findings on Respiratory Organs of Some Naturally Infected Dromedary Camels with the Lineage-B of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia-2018. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040420. [PMID: 33916036 PMCID: PMC8065699 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The currently known animal reservoir for MERS-CoV is the dromedary camel. The clinical pattern of the MERS-CoV field infection in dromedary camels is not yet fully studied well. Some pathological changes and the detection of the MERS-CoV antigens by immunohistochemistry have been recently reported. However, the nature of these changes by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was not revealed. The objective of this study was to document some changes in the respiratory organs induced by the natural MERS-CoV infection using the SEM. We previously identified three positive animals naturally infected with MERS-CoV and two other negative animals. Previous pathological studies on the positive animals showed varying degrees of alterations. MERS-CoV-S and MERS-CoV-Nc proteins were detected in the organs of positive animals. In the current study, we used the same tissues and sections for the SEM examination. We established a histopathology lesion scoring system by the SEM for the nasal turbinate and trachea. Our results showed various degrees of involvement per animal. The main observed characteristic findings are massive ciliary loss, ciliary disorientation, and goblet cell hyperplasia, especially in the respiratory organs, particularly the nasal turbinate and trachea in some animals. The lungs of some affected animals showed signs of marked interstitial pneumonia with damage to the alveolar walls. The partial MERS-CoV-S gene sequencing from the nasal swabs of some dromedary camels admitted to this slaughterhouse confirms the circulating strains belong to clade-B of MERS-CoV. These results confirm the respiratory tropism of the virus and the detection of the virus in the nasal cavity. Further studies are needed to explore the pathological alterations induced by MERS-CoV infection in various body organs of the MERS-CoV naturally infected dromedary camels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelmohsen Alnaeem
- Department of Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Haa 400, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Samy Kasem
- Veterinary Health and Monitoring, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh 11195, Saudi Arabia; (S.K.); (I.Q.); (M.R.); (A.N.A.); (A.A.-D.)
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt;
| | - Ibrahim Qasim
- Veterinary Health and Monitoring, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh 11195, Saudi Arabia; (S.K.); (I.Q.); (M.R.); (A.N.A.); (A.A.-D.)
| | - Mohamed Refaat
- Veterinary Health and Monitoring, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh 11195, Saudi Arabia; (S.K.); (I.Q.); (M.R.); (A.N.A.); (A.A.-D.)
- Department of Pathology, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Cairo 12618, Egypt
| | - Ali Nasser Alhufufi
- Veterinary Health and Monitoring, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh 11195, Saudi Arabia; (S.K.); (I.Q.); (M.R.); (A.N.A.); (A.A.-D.)
| | - Ali Al-Doweriej
- Veterinary Health and Monitoring, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh 11195, Saudi Arabia; (S.K.); (I.Q.); (M.R.); (A.N.A.); (A.A.-D.)
| | - Abdulkareem Al-Shabebi
- Department of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Haa 400, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abd-El Rahman Taha Hereba
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt;
| | - Maged Gomaa Hemida
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt;
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Haa 400, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence:
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van Doremalen N, Letko M, Fischer RJ, Bushmaker T, Yinda CK, Schulz J, Seifert SN, Kim NJ, Hemida MG, Kayali G, Park WB, Perera RAPM, Tamin A, Thornburg NJ, Tong S, Queen K, van Kerkhove MD, Choi YK, Oh MD, Assiri AM, Peiris M, Gerber SI, Munster VJ. Surface-aerosol stability and pathogenicity of diverse MERS-CoV strains from 2012 - 2018. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.02.11.429193. [PMID: 33594367 PMCID: PMC7885919 DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.11.429193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a coronavirus that infects both humans and dromedary camels and is responsible for an ongoing outbreak of severe respiratory illness in humans in the Middle East. While some mutations found in camel-derived MERS-CoV strains have been characterized, the majority of natural variation found across MERS-CoV isolates remains unstudied. Here we report on the environmental stability, replication kinetics and pathogenicity of several diverse isolates of MERS-CoV as well as SARS-CoV-2 to serve as a basis of comparison with other stability studies. While most of the MERS-CoV isolates exhibited similar stability and pathogenicity in our experiments, the camel derived isolate, C/KSA/13, exhibited reduced surface stability while another camel isolate, C/BF/15, had reduced pathogenicity in a small animal model. These results suggest that while betacoronaviruses may have similar environmental stability profiles, individual variation can influence this phenotype, underscoring the importance of continual, global viral surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje van Doremalen
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Michael Letko
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
- Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99111, USA
- Corresponding author: Dr. Michael Letko, Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, Tel: (509) 335-4058,
| | - Robert J. Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Trenton Bushmaker
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Claude Kwe Yinda
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Jonathan Schulz
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Stephanie N. Seifert
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
- Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99111, USA
| | - Nam Joong Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Maged G Hemida
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - Ghazi Kayali
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Wan Beom Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Azaibi Tamin
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Natalie J. Thornburg
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Suxiang Tong
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Krista Queen
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Maria D. van Kerkhove
- Department of Infectious Hazards Management, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Young Ki Choi
- College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju City, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung-don Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Abdullah M. Assiri
- Infection Prevention and Control, Assistant Deputy Minister, Preventive Health, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Malik Peiris
- School of Public Health, University of Hong-Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Susan I. Gerber
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
- Corresponding author: Dr. Michael Letko, Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, Tel: (509) 335-4058,
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Alnemare AK. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - What Every Otolaryngologist Should Know: A Review. Int J Gen Med 2020; 13:483-489. [PMID: 32801842 PMCID: PMC7403436 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s252796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we illustrate the history of Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS-CoV) infection from the first reported case to the disease's outbreak and subsequent worldwide decline, with the aim of briefly defining the problem for the benefit of otolaryngologists. MERS-CoV belongs to the Coronaviridae family and causes a zoonotic disease, MERS, with strong camel to human and weak human to human transmission. The first documented case of MERS was reported in Saudi Arabia in June 2012. Viral replication produces inflammatory markers targeting T lymphocytes, with apoptosis being the end result. Nevertheless, the pathogenesis of this virus is not yet fully understood. The main symptomatic appearance is of mild lower respiratory tract infection with dyspnea and persistent cough in addition to systemic manifestations. The diagnosis is mainly based on the use of polymerase chain reaction for the detection of viral ribonucleic acid in the sputum or tracheal fluids. Otolaryngologic treatment mainly involves supportive adjuvant usage of interferon or antiviral drugs; however, approximately one-third of patients may not survive, and, therefore, otolaryngologists should be familiar with and remain mindful of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad K Alnemare
- Otolaryngology Department, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah11952, Saudi Arabia
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van Doremalen N, Haddock E, Feldmann F, Meade-White K, Bushmaker T, Fischer RJ, Okumura A, Hanley PW, Saturday G, Edwards NJ, Clark MHA, Lambe T, Gilbert SC, Munster VJ. A single dose of ChAdOx1 MERS provides protective immunity in rhesus macaques. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba8399. [PMID: 32577525 PMCID: PMC7286676 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba8399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Developing a vaccine to protect against the lethal effects of the many strains of coronavirus is critical given the current global pandemic. For Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), we show that rhesus macaques seroconverted rapidly after a single intramuscular vaccination with ChAdOx1 MERS. The vaccine protected against respiratory injury and pneumonia and reduced viral load in lung tissue by several orders of magnitude. MERS-CoV replication in type I and II pneumocytes of ChAdOx1 MERS-vaccinated animals was absent. A prime-boost regimen of ChAdOx1 MERS boosted antibody titers, and viral replication was completely absent from the respiratory tract tissue of these rhesus macaques. We also found that antibodies elicited by ChAdOx1 MERS in rhesus macaques neutralized six different MERS-CoV strains. Transgenic human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 mice vaccinated with ChAdOx1 MERS were completely protected against disease and lethality for all different MERS-CoV strains. The data support further clinical development of ChAdOx1 MERS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje van Doremalen
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
- Corresponding author. (N.v.D.); (S.C.G.); (V.J.M.)
| | - Elaine Haddock
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Friederike Feldmann
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Kimberly Meade-White
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Trenton Bushmaker
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Robert J. Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Atsushi Okumura
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrick W. Hanley
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Greg Saturday
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | | | - Madeleine H. A. Clark
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Transmission Biology Group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Woking, UK
| | - Teresa Lambe
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah C. Gilbert
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Corresponding author. (N.v.D.); (S.C.G.); (V.J.M.)
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
- Corresponding author. (N.v.D.); (S.C.G.); (V.J.M.)
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11
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Kleine-Weber H, Schroeder S, Krüger N, Prokscha A, Naim HY, Müller MA, Drosten C, Pöhlmann S, Hoffmann M. Polymorphisms in dipeptidyl peptidase 4 reduce host cell entry of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 9:155-168. [PMID: 31964246 PMCID: PMC7006675 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1713705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a severe respiratory disease in humans. The MERS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein mediates viral entry into target cells. For this, MERS-CoV S engages the host cell protein dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4, CD26) and the interface between MERS-CoV S and DPP4 has been resolved on the atomic level. Here, we asked whether naturally-occurring polymorphisms in DPP4, that alter amino acid residues required for MERS-CoV S binding, influence cellular entry of MERS-CoV. By screening of public databases, we identified fourteen such polymorphisms. Introduction of the respective mutations into DPP4 revealed that all except one (Δ346-348) were compatible with robust DPP4 expression. Four polymorphisms (K267E, K267N, A291P and Δ346-348) strongly reduced binding of MERS-CoV S to DPP4 and S protein-driven host cell entry, as determined using soluble S protein and S protein bearing rhabdoviral vectors, respectively. Two polymorphisms (K267E and A291P) were analyzed in the context of authentic MERS-CoV and were found to attenuate viral replication. Collectively, we identified naturally-occurring polymorphisms in DPP4 that negatively impact cellular entry of MERS-CoV and might thus modulate MERS development in infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kleine-Weber
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Simon Schroeder
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.,Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexander Prokscha
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hassan Y Naim
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marcel A Müller
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research, associated partner Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Christian Drosten
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research, associated partner Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
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Kleine-Weber H, Pöhlmann S, Hoffmann M. Spike proteins of novel MERS-coronavirus isolates from North- and West-African dromedary camels mediate robust viral entry into human target cells. Virology 2019; 535:261-265. [PMID: 31357164 PMCID: PMC7112047 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The highly pathogenic Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-related coronavirus (CoV) is transmitted from dromedary camels, the natural reservoir, to humans. For at present unclear reasons, MERS cases have so far only been observed in the Arabian Peninsula, although MERS-CoV also circulates in African dromedary camels. A recent study showed that MERS-CoV found in North/West- (Morocco) and West-African (Burkina Faso and Nigeria) dromedary camels are genetically distinct from Arabian viruses and have reduced replicative capacity in human cells, potentially due to amino acid changes in one or more viral proteins. Here, we show that the spike (S) proteins of the prototypic Arabian MERS-CoV strain, human betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012, and the above stated African MERS-CoV variants do not appreciably differ in expression, DPP4 binding and ability to drive entry into target cells. Thus, virus-host-interactions at the entry stage may not limit spread of North- and West-African MERS-CoV in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kleine-Weber
- Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Wilhelm-Weber-Str. 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Wilhelm-Weber-Str. 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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