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Review
. 2016 Feb;97(2):274-280.
doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.000342. Epub 2015 Nov 13.

Evidence for zoonotic origins of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Hui-Ju Han  1 , Hao Yu  2   3 , Xue-Jie Yu  4   3   1
Affiliations
Review

Evidence for zoonotic origins of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Hui-Ju Han et al. J Gen Virol. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is an emerging infectious disease, caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and is considered to be a zoonosis. However, the natural reservoirs of MERS-CoV remain obscure, with bats and camels as the most suspected sources. In this article, we review the evidence supporting a bat/camel origin of human MERS-CoV infection and current knowledge on the modes of camel-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV.

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