MERS Virus in African Camels: New Study Suggests Virus is More Widespread Than Previously Thought

The Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is spreading farther than previously believed, as it has shown up in African camels.

According to Bloomberg News, scientists took blood samples from 358 dromedary camels in Nigeria and found MERS in nearly all of them. In Nigeria, 188 camels were found to have MERS and 54 percent of the adult camels in Tunisia.

Scientists from the Netherlands published their findings in a new study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. They took the blood samples from the camels between 2009 and 2011, before MERS emerged in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Their findings may suggest MERS is flying under the radar in Africa and is older than many believe.

"The possibility exists that MERS-CoV illness occurred before its discovery in 2012 and that such infection has been overlooked in the areas with evidence for virus circulation among animals during the past 10 years," the authors wrote in their study, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said MERS infected 614 people since 2012 and killed 184. It was believed to be initially contained to the Middle East, but it is now present in Europe, Asia, African and the U.S.

In the U.S., two people were confirmed infected, but one was from Indiana and the other in Orlando. However, the Los Angeles Times reported MERS has been spread from one person to another for the first time in America. The third U.S. patient does not have an active virus, but he had contact with the Indiana patient and his immune system is showing the early signs of MERS.

"This latest development does not change CDC's current recommendations to prevent the spread of MERS," Dr. David Swerdlow, the CDC's lead MERS response officer, said in a statement. "It's possible that as the investigation continues others may also test positive for MERS-CoV infection but not get sick. Along with state and local health experts, CDC will investigate those initial cases and if new information is learned that requires us to change our prevention recommendations, we can do so."

Both the first patient, from Indiana, and the man he infected, from Illinois, has been discharged from the hospital after reportedly "feeling well" and being "fully recovered."

Scientists are still searching for a vaccine, but MERS does seem to be easily transmittable from person to person. So far, the only such cases have been between health care workers and patients since they have very close contact.