According to a study, the transmission of the virus between humans and dromedaries has been proven. Vaccination of these animals would be considered.
An American study has formally blamed dromedaries as being responsible for the spread of the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus. Proven recently, this state of affairs fascinates researchers who are desperately trying to understand how transmission takes place. Things are getting clearer thanks to a study published in the Eurosurveillance magazine.
The transmission between man and dromedary is formal
The two study authors, Norbert Nowotny and Jolanta Kolodziejek, investigated whether the types of MERS coronavirus are the same between dromedaries and humans. To do so, the two virology experts took disease cells from these animals and from humans from the same region. After analysis, when the samples come from the same area, the DNA of the MERS coronavirus is almost identical.
Conversely, the two researchers compared samples from dromedaries from Egypt and Oman. Depending on the geographic region where the sample is taken, the DNA is different. This means according to an author of the study “that there is not one and the same MERS coronavirus in dromedaries”
These discoveries make it possible to “confirm the transmission” according to N. Nowotny. This type of disease is qualified as zoonosis, ie the transmission of a virus between an animal and man or vice versa.
Thanks to this discovery, the States, where the camels are numerous, will be able to try to stem the development of the propagation in these animals. “With this knowledge, we can respond specifically to the spread of the virus. The vaccination of camels is currently under discussion ”.
The nose and eyes of dromedaries, the sources of transmission
Through their study, the two researchers also discovered that the concentration levels of the MERS coronavirus were very high, particularly in the noses and eyes of animals. Indeed, the nasal mucosa as well as the eyes of dromedaries are responsible. Young dromedaries are the most sensitive to these anatomical areas. According to the researchers, they are much more susceptible to e infections and are the biggest vectors of transmission of the MERS coronavirus.
Remember, the MERS coronavirus is an extremely deadly virus. It has already claimed 93 victims across the world. This new virus is potentially much more deadly than its “cousin”, SARS, with a death rate of 65% compared to 8% for SARS. A patient who is the victim suffers from a lung infection, fever, cough and severe breathing difficulties. The only difference is that MERS also causes acute kidney failure.
The researchers noted that in dromedaries, it is very difficult to detect if they have the MERS coronavirus because they do not suffer from any symptoms other than sneezing.
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