Identification of factors influencing zoonotic transmission of MERS-Coronavirus in Kenya

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and is associated with an atypical life-threatening form of pneumonia in humans.MERS-CoV causes severe human morbidity and mortality and is the focus of epidemic and pandemic concern. Dromedaries are the likely source for human MERS infections. Although MERS-CoV has a broad temporal and geographical distribution in African dromedaries, zoonotic transmission from dromedaries to humans seems to be limited in Kenya.Much remains unknown regarding the pathogen and its transmission, and more resources should be devoted to increasing local knowledge and expertise in the geographic regions of its incidence. Our project will expand diagnostic and laboratory infrastructures in Kenya, train multidisciplinary international experts, identify outbreak hotspots, and develop urgently needed in silico and in vitro risk assessment tools. This combination of complementary aims will greatly facilitate the fight against MERS-CoV in particular, and will serve as a model for the fight against other emerging pathogens worldwide.