Sitawa Rinah, Folorunso Fasina, Obonyo Mark, Apamaku Michael, Kiambi Stella, Gikonyo Stephen, Kiptiness Joshua, Njagi Obadiah, Githinji Jane, Ngoci James, VonDobschuetz Sophie, Morzaria Subhash, Ihab ElMasry, Gardner Emma, Wiersma Lidewij, Makonnen Yilma
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Kenya.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Tanzania.
Prev Vet Med. 2020 Dec;185:105197. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105197. Epub 2020 Nov 2.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging viral disease and dromedary camels are known to be the source of human spill over events. A cross-sectional epidemiological surveillance study was carried out in Kenya in 2017 to, 1) estimate MERS-CoV antibody seropositivity in the camel-dense counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Isiolo, Laikipia and Nakuru to identify, and 2) determine the risk factors associated with seropositivity in camels. Blood samples were collected from a total of 1421 camels selected using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were also collected from camel owners or herders using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The sera from camel samples were tested for the presence of circulating antibodies to MERS-CoV using the anti-MERS-CoV IgG ELISA test. Univariate and multivariable statistical analysis were used to investigate factors potentially associated with MERS-CoV seropositivity in camels. The overall seropositivity in camel sera was 62.9 %, with the highest seropositivity recorded in Isiolo County (77.7 %), and the lowest seropositivity recorded in Nakuru County (14.0 %). When risk factors for seropositivity were assessed, the "Type of camel production system" {(aOR = 5.40(95 %CI: 1.67-17.49)}, "Age between 1-2 years, 2-3 years and above 3 years" {(aOR = 1.64 (95 %CI: 1.04-2.59}", {(aOR = 3.27 (95 %CI: 3.66-5.61)}" and {(aOR = 6.12 (95 %CI: 4.04-9.30)} respectively and "Sex of camels" {(aOR = 1.75 (95 %CI: 1.27-2.41)} were identified as significant predictors of MERS-CoV seropositivity. Our studies indicate a high level of seropositivity to MERS-CoV in camels in the counties surveyed, and highlights the important risk factors associated with MERS-CoV seropositivity in camels. Given that MERS-CoV is a zoonosis, and Kenya possesses the fourth largest camel population in Africa, these findings are important to inform the development of efficient and risk-based prevention and mitigation strategies against MERS-CoV transmission to humans.
中东呼吸综合征冠状病毒(MERS-CoV)是一种新出现的病毒性疾病,已知单峰骆驼是人类感染事件的源头。2017年在肯尼亚开展了一项横断面流行病学监测研究,以:1)估计图尔卡纳、马萨比特、伊索洛、莱基皮亚和纳库鲁等骆驼密集县的MERS-CoV抗体血清阳性率,以便识别;2)确定与骆驼血清阳性相关的风险因素。使用多阶段抽样方法从总共1421头骆驼中采集血样。还使用预先测试的结构化问卷从骆驼主人或牧民那里收集数据。使用抗MERS-CoV IgG ELISA检测法检测骆驼样本血清中是否存在针对MERS-CoV的循环抗体。采用单变量和多变量统计分析来调查可能与骆驼MERS-CoV血清阳性相关的因素。骆驼血清的总体血清阳性率为62.9%,伊索洛县的血清阳性率最高(77.7%),纳库鲁县的血清阳性率最低(14.0%)。在评估血清阳性的风险因素时,“骆驼生产系统类型”{(调整后比值比[aOR]=5.40(95%置信区间[CI]:1.67 - 17.49)}、“1至2岁、2至3岁和3岁以上的年龄”{(aOR = 1.64(95%CI:1.04 - 2.59)}、{(aOR = 3.27(95%CI:3.66 - 5.61)}和{(aOR = 6.12(95%CI:4.04 - 9.30)}以及“骆驼性别”{(aOR = 1.75(95%CI:1.27 - 2.41)}被确定为MERS-CoV血清阳性的重要预测因素。我们的研究表明,在所调查的县中骆驼对MERS-CoV的血清阳性率很高,并突出了与骆驼MERS-CoV血清阳性相关的重要风险因素。鉴于MERS-CoV是人畜共患病,且肯尼亚拥有非洲第四大骆驼种群,这些发现对于制定有效的基于风险的预防和缓解MERS-CoV传播给人类的策略具有重要意义。