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middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus: review of the current situation in the world.this article reviews the current epidemiology and clinical presentation of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) infection and describes the preparedness plan of several countries. the mers-cov was first reported in 2012 and has since infected more than 1600 patients in 26 countries, mostly in saudi arabia and the middle east. the epidemiology of the infection is compatible with multiple introductions of the virus into humans from an animal reservoir, probably dromedary camels. ...201628265443
polyphyletic origin of mers coronaviruses and isolation of a novel clade a strain from dromedary camels in the united arab emirates.little is known regarding the molecular epidemiology of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) circulating in dromedaries outside saudi arabia. to address this knowledge gap, we sequenced 10 complete genomes of mers-covs isolated from 2 live and 8 dead dromedaries from different regions in the united arab emirates (uae). phylogenetic analysis revealed one novel clade a strain, the first detected in the uae, and nine clade b strains. strain d998/15 had a distinct phylogenetic pos ...201627999424
cordão formation: loess deposits in the southern coastal plain of the state of rio grande do sul, brazil.loess consists of silt-dominated sediments that cover ~10% of the earth's surface. in southern south america it occurs in argentina, bolivia, paraguay and uruguay, and its presence in southern brazil was never studied in detail. here is proposed a new lithostratigraphic unit, cordão formation, consisting of loess deposits in the southern brazilian coastal plain. it consists of fine-very fine silt with subordinate sand and clay, found mostly in lowland areas between pleistocene coastal barriers. ...201627991956
active-site mmp-selective antibody inhibitors discovered from convex paratope synthetic libraries.proteases are frequent pharmacological targets, and their inhibitors are valuable drugs in multiple pathologies. the catalytic mechanism and the active-site fold, however, are largely conserved among the protease classes, making the development of the selective inhibitors exceedingly challenging. in our departure from the conventional strategies, we reviewed the structure of known camelid inhibitory antibodies, which block enzyme activities via their unusually long, convex-shaped paratopes. we s ...201627965386
first complete mitochondrial genome data from ancient south american camelids - the mystery of the chilihueques from isla mocha (chile).in south american societies, domesticated camelids were of great cultural importance and subject to trade and translocation. south american camelids were even found on remote and hard to reach islands, emphasizing their importance to historic and pre-historic south american populations. isla mocha, a volcanic island 35 km offshore of central-south chile, is an example of such an island. when dutch and spanish explorers reached the island in the early 17th century, they found that domesticated ca ...201627929050
[gastrointestinal bezoars].gastrointestinal bezoars are a concretion of indigested material that can be found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and some animals. this material forms an intraluminal mass, more commonly located in the stomach. during a large period of history animal bezoars were considered antidotes to poisons and diseases. we report a historical overview since bezoars stones were thought to have medicinal properties. this magic conception was introduced in south america by spanish conquerors. in chil ...201627905655
camelid single-domain antibodies: a versatile tool for in vivo imaging of extracellular and intracellular brain targets.detection of intracerebral targets with imaging probes is challenging due to the non-permissive nature of blood-brain barrier (bbb). the present work describes two novel single-domain antibodies (vhhs or nanobodies) that specifically recognize extracellular amyloid deposits and intracellular tau neurofibrillary tangles, the two core lesions of alzheimer's disease (ad). following intravenous administration in transgenic mouse models of ad, in vivo real-time two-photon microscopy showed gradual ex ...201627671875
dromedary immune response and specific kv2.1 antibody generation using a specific immunization approach.voltage-gated potassium (kv) channels form cells repolarizing power and are commonly expressed in excitable cells. in non-excitable cells, kv channels such as kv2.1 are involved in cell differentiation and growth. due to the involvement of kv2.1 in several physiological processes, these channels are promising therapeutic targets. to develop kv2.1 specific antibody-based channel modulators, we applied a novel approach and immunized a dromedary with heterologous ltk- cells that overexpress the mou ...201627320844
evaluation of two platelet-rich plasma processing methods and two platelet-activation techniques for use in llamas and alpacas.objective to evaluate 2 processing methods (commercial kit vs conical tube centrifugation) for preparing platelet rich plasma (prp) for use in llamas and alpacas. samples blood samples (30 ml each) aseptically collected from 6 healthy llamas and 6 healthy alpacas. procedures prp was prepared from blood samples by use of a commercial kit and by double-step conical tube centrifugation. a cbc was performed for blood and prp samples. platelets in prp samples were activated by means of a freeze-thaw ...201627805447
epidemiological investigation of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus in dromedary camel farms linked with human infection in abu dhabi emirate, united arab emirates.the objective of this research was to investigate the prevalence of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) infection primarily in dromedary camel farms and the relationship of those infections with infections in humans in the emirate of abu dhabi. nasal swabs from 1113 dromedary camels (39 farms) and 34 sheep (1 farm) and sputum samples from 2 mers-cov-infected camel farm owners and 1 mers-cov-infected sheep farm owner were collected. samples from camels and humans underwent rea ...201627357298
mers-cov recombination: implications about the reservoir and potential for adaptation.recombination is a process that unlinks neighboring loci allowing for independent evolutionary trajectories within genomes of many organisms. if not properly accounted for, recombination can compromise many evolutionary analyses. in addition, when dealing with organisms that are not obligately sexually reproducing, recombination gives insight into the rate at which distinct genetic lineages come into contact. since june 2012, middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) has caused 1,1 ...201627774293
ovulation-inducing factor (oif/ngf) in seminal plasma: a review and update.the ovulation-inducing effect of seminal plasma was first reported in bactrian camels over 30 years ago, and the entity responsible was dubbed 'ovulation-inducing factor' (oif). more recent studies, primarily in llamas and alpacas, characterized the biological and chemical properties of oif and ultimately identified it as βngf. this recent discovery has allowed a convergence of knowledge previously separated by discipline and by mechanism; that is, neurobiology and reproductive biology, and auto ...201627762054
mers-cov at the animal-human interface: inputs on exposure pathways from an expert-opinion elicitation.nearly 4 years after the first report of the emergence of middle-east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) and nearly 1800 human cases later, the ecology of mers-cov, its epidemiology, and more than risk factors of mers-cov transmission between camels are poorly understood. knowledge about the pathways and mechanisms of transmission from animals to humans is limited; as of yet, transmission risks have not been quantified. moreover the divergent sanitary situations and exposures to animals ...201627761437
camelid and shark single domain antibodies: structural features and therapeutic potential.in addition to canonical antibodies composed of heavy and light chains, the adaptive immune systems of camelids and cartilaginous fish comprise heavy-chain only isotypes (hcab) devoid of light chains, where antigen-binding is mediated exclusively by one variable domain. due to their inherent favorable attributes, such as high affinity and specificity for their cognate antigen, extraordinary stability, small size and, most importantly, the possibility to complement classical antibodies in terms o ...201627865111
proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (pcsk9) single domain antibodies are potent inhibitors of low density lipoprotein receptor degradation.single domain antibodies (sdabs) correspond to the antigen-binding domains of camelid antibodies. they have the same antigen-binding properties and specificity as monoclonal antibodies (mabs) but are easier and cheaper to produce. we report here the development of sdabs targeting human pcsk9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) as an alternative to anti-pcsk9 mabs. after immunizing a llama with human pcsk9, we selected four sdabs that bind pcsk9 with a high affinity and produced them ...201627284008
[middle east respiratory syndrome (mers)].middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) is an emerging infectious disease of growing global importance, which has caused severe acute respiratory disease in more than 1,700 people, resulting in almost 600 deaths. mers is caused by a novel betacoronavirus (mers-cov). all cases of mers have been linked through travel to or residence in countries in or near the arabian peninsula. dromedary camels are considered natu- ral reservoirs for mers-cov. mers-cov is mainly transmitted from infected dromedar ...201630609457
the camel rhinarium: a study revealing the presence of the nasal plane in dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius), with special reference to its epidermal structure.the aim of this study was to prove that the nasal plane (planum nasale) present in camel (camelus dromedarius). furthermore, it was the first description of the gross and primary microscopic anatomy as well as the epidermal ultrastructure of the camel nasal plane. grossly, the camel rhinarium was formed of the glabrous grayish-black skin that extended to cover the philtrum and the medial nasal angles. it was composed of two perinasal parts and an inter-labial part. a shallow groove was passed ac ...201727282130
optimization of the cryopreservation of dromedary camel semen: cryoprotectants and their concentration and equilibration times.research into an optimal cryoprotectant, its concentration and equilibration time underlies the successful cryopreservation of dromedary camel spermatozoa. this study assessed the cryo-efficiency of different cryoprotectants, their concentration and equilibration time and any interactions. in experiment 1, semen samples (n = 4 males; 2 ejaculates/male) were frozen using green buffer containing one of four cryoprotectants (3% glycerol, ethylene glycol, methyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide) and us ...201727818266
rapid capture and labeling of cells on single domain antibodies-functionalized flow cell.current techniques to characterize leukocyte subgroups in blood require long sample preparation times and sizable sample volumes. a simplified method for leukocyte characterization using smaller blood volumes would thus be useful in diagnostic settings. here we describe a flow system comprised of two functionalized graphene oxide (go) surfaces that allow the capture of distinct leukocyte populations from small volumes blood using camelid single-domain antibodyfragments (vhhs) as capture agents. ...201727816596
camelid vh h affinity ligands enable separation of closely related biopharmaceuticals.interest in new and diverse classes of molecules such as recombinant toxins, enzymes, and blood factors continues to grow for use a biotherapeutics. compared to monoclonal antibodies, these novel drugs typically lack a commercially available affinity chromatography option, which leads to greater process complexity, longer development timelines, and poor platformability. to date, for both monoclonal antibodies and novel molecules, affinity chromatography has been mostly reserved for separation of ...201727677057
vaccines against middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus for humans and camels.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is caused by a novel betacoronavirus that was isolated in late 2012 in saudi arabia. the viral infections have been reported in more than 1700 humans, ranging from asymptomatic or mild cases to severe pneumonia with a mortality rate of 40%. it is well documented now that dromedary camels contract the infection and shed the virus without notable symptoms, and such animals had been infected by at least the early 1980s. the mechanism of camel ...201727786402
inhibition of glycosylation on a camelid antibody uniquely affects its fcγri binding activity.glycoengineering of mabs has become common practice in attempts to generate the ideal mab candidate for a wide range of therapeutic applications. the effects of these glycan modifications on the binding affinity of igg mabs for fcγriiia and their cytotoxicity are well known. however, little is understood about the effect that these modifications have on binding to the high affinity fcγri receptor. this study analyzed the effect of variable n-glycosylation on a human-llama hybrid mab (eg2-hfc, 80 ...201727721040
structural analysis of single domain antibodies bound to a second neutralizing hot spot on ricin toxin's enzymatic subunit.ricin toxin is a heterodimer consisting of rta, a ribosome-inactivating protein, and rtb, a lectin that facilitates receptor-mediated uptake into mammalian cells. in previous studies, we demonstrated that toxin-neutralizing antibodies target four spatially distinct hot spots on rta, which we refer to as epitope clusters i-iv. in this report, we identified and characterized three single domain camelid antibodies (vhh) against cluster ii. one of these vhhs, v5e1, ranks as one of the most potent ri ...201727903650
livestock susceptibility to infection with middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus.middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) cases continue to be reported, predominantly in saudi arabia and occasionally other countries. although dromedaries are the main reservoir, other animal species might be susceptible to mers coronavirus (mers-cov) infection and potentially serve as reservoirs. to determine whether other animals are potential reservoirs, we inoculated mers-cov into llamas, pigs, sheep, and horses and collected nasal and rectal swab samples at various times. the presence of m ...201727901465
generation of camelid vhh bispecific constructs via in-cell intein-mediated protein trans-splicing.production of various combinations of bispecific variable domain of heavy chain of heavy chain-only antibody (vhh) constructs to evaluate their therapeutic potential usually requires several gene-engineering steps. here, we present an alternative method of creating bispecific vhh constructs in vivo through protein trans-splicing (pts) reaction; this method may reduce the number of gene manipulation steps required. as a proof-of-concept, we constructed a bispecific antibody (bsab) containing an a ...201727881685
nanobodies to study g protein-coupled receptor structure and function.ligand-induced activation of g protein-coupled receptors (gpcrs) is a key mechanism permitting communication between cells and organs. enormous progress has recently elucidated the structural and dynamic features of gpcr transmembrane signaling. nanobodies, the recombinant antigen-binding fragments of camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies, have emerged as important research tools to lock gpcrs in particular conformational states. active-state stabilizing nanobodies have elucidated several agonist- ...201727959623
(1)h, (13)c and (15)n backbone chemical shift assignments of camelid single-domain antibodies against active state µ-opioid receptor.nanobodies are single chain antibodies that have become a highly valuable and versatile tool for biomolecular and therapeutic research. one application field is the stabilization of active states of flexible proteins, among which g-protein coupled receptors represent a very important class of membrane proteins. here we present the backbone and side-chain assignment of the (1)h, (13)c and (15)n resonances of nb33 and nb39, two nanobodies that recognize and stabilize the µ-opioid receptor to opioi ...201728239762
diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism markers to identify hybridization between dromedary and bactrian camels.the technique to produce hybrid tulu or nar camels from crosses between dromedary and bactrian camels is common throughout middle eastern and central asian countries. formerly, these hybrids were highly valued as strong and persistent pack animals but today are bred to improve milk or wool quality in the respective species and for camel wrestling. we developed a diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) panel to identify cryptic ancestry in f1 hybrids and their backcrosses by selecting loc ...201726161164
lactoferrin from camelus dromedarius inhibits nuclear transcription factor-kappa b activation, cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin e2 production in stimulated human chondrocytes.osteoarthritis (oa) is a progressive joint disorder, which remains the leading cause of chronic disability in aged people. nuclear factor-kappa b (nf)-κb is a major cellular event in oa and its activation by interleukin-1β (il-1β) plays a critical role in cartilage breakdown in these patients.201727034605
multiple corpora lutea in dromedary camels: are they associated with multiple pregnancies?the aim of this study was to investigate whether multiple corpora lutea (cl) in dromedary camels were associated with multiple pregnancies. three experiments were carried out. in the first experiment, reproductive tracts of 124 slaughtered female camels were examined for the incidence of multiple cl and the pregnancy status. in the second experiment, uteri and ovaries of 50 females were examined by ultrasound between the fourth and fifteenth weeks of pregnancy to estimate the number and location ...201726707368
dromedary camels and the transmission of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov).middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is an existential threat to global public health. the virus has been repeatedly detected in dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius). adult animals in many countries in the middle east as well as in north and east africa showed high (>90%) seroprevalence to the virus. middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus isolated from dromedaries is genetically and phenotypically similar to viruses from humans. we summarize current understanding of th ...201726256102
use of fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to quantify immunoglobulin g concentrations in alpaca serum.rapid, economical, and quantitative assays for measurement of camelid serum immunoglobulin g (igg) are limited. in camelids, failure of transfer of maternal immunoglobulins has a reported prevalence of up to 20.5%. an accurate method for quantifying serum igg concentrations is required.201724417433
generation and characterization of nanobodies targeting psma for molecular imaging of prostate cancer.nanobodies show attractive characteristics for tumor targeting in cancer diagnosis and therapy. a radiolabeled nanobody binding the prostate-specific membrane antigen (psma) could offer a noninvasive strategy to select prostate cancer patients eligible for psma-targeted therapies. we here describe the generation, production and in vivo evaluation of anti-psma nanobodies. nanobodies were derived from heavy-chain-only antibodies, raised in immunized dromedaries. binding characteristics were evalua ...201724700748
developmental competence of dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius) oocytes selected using brilliant cresyl blue staining - erratum. 201729032770
origins and pathogenesis of middle east respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus: recent advances.middle east respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (mers-cov) has been a significant research focus since its discovery in 2012. since 2012, 2,040 cases and 712 deaths have been recorded (as of august 11, 2017), representing a strikingly high case fatality rate of 36%. over the last several years, mers-cov research has progressed in several parallel and complementary directions. this review will focus on three particular areas: the origins and evolution of mers-cov, the challenges and achie ...201729026532
a novel and innovative hair test to determine glucocorticoid levels in racing camels for use in assessment of doping, health, and disease.the aim of this project was to develop and validate a new test for the analysis of glucocorticoids in camel hair and to use the new test to analyse hair samples from a variety of camel breeds in sports and racing applications. these findings could be of importance when evaluating racing camels for suspected doping offenses or for injury and disease control. camel hair samples were collected from 30 non-racing dromedary camels along with 3 racing camels in al ain, uae and were decontaminated, pul ...201728994213
molecular studies on cystic echinococcosis of camel (camelus dromedarius) and report ofechinococcus ortleppiin iran.cystic echinococcosis (ce) is one of the most important zoonotic diseases; caused by different genotypes ofechinococcusspp. camels have an important role in transmission cycle ofe. granulosusespecially, in desert areas. this study aimed to investigate molecular characterization of hydatid cysts isolates from one-humped camel (camelus dromedarius)and to show its molecular and phylogenic status in this important ce host in the central part of iran.201728979341
disseminated toxoplasmosis in a captive adult dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius).an 11-yr-old dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius) at a zoo in south florida presented with diarrhea while being treated with enrofloxacin and dexamethasone for a chronic skin condition. three weeks after initiation of therapy with dexamethasone, the camel developed diarrhea, which worsened despite treatment with antibiotics. the animal became increasingly debilitated, developed hemorrhagic diarrhea, declined rapidly over the next 3 days, and died despite aggressive fluid therapy and supportive ...201728920819
isolation and characterization of the trophectoderm from the arabian camel (camelus dromedarius).we isolated and characterized trophoblast from in vivo-derived camel embryos and compared with embryonic stem-like cells. camel embryos were flushed on day 8 post-insemination and used to derive trophectoderm and embryonic stem-like cells under feeder-free culture conditions using a basement membrane matrix. embryos were evaluated for the expression of pou5f1, myc, klf4, sox2, cdx2, and krt8 mrna transcripts by relative quantitative polymerase chain reaction. camel embryos grew and expanded to ∼ ...201728863999
data characterizing the genomic structure of the t cell receptor (trb) locus incamelus dromedarius.these data are presented in support of structural and evolutionary analysis of the published article entitled "the occurrence of three d-j-c clusters within the dromedary trb locus highlights a shared evolution in tylopoda, ruminantia and suina" (antonacci et al., 2017) [1]. here we describe the genomic structure and the gene content of the t cell receptor beta chain (trb) locus incamelus dromedarius.as in the other species of mammals, the general genomic organization of the dromedary trb locus ...201728856181
effect of genetic and nongenetic factors on chemical composition of individual milk samples from dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius) under intensive management.the aims of the present study were to monitor the changes in gross chemical composition of individual dromedary camel milk over a 5-yr period, to provide reference values, and to determine the effect of genetic and nongenetic factors influencing camel milk composition under intensive management. a total of 1,528 lactating dromedary camels were included in the study. animals were fed a constant diet and were milked twice a day in a herringbone parlor. milk samples were collected at monthly interv ...201728843681
l-carnitine enhances oocyte maturation and improves in vitro development of embryos in dromedary camels (camelus dromedaries).the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of l-carnitine (lc) addition during either ivm or ivc on the developmental potential of camel oocytes. in experiment 1; camel oocytes were matured in the absence (control) or presence of different concentrations of lc (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 0.75 mg and 1 mg/ml) for 30 h followed by in vitro fertilization and culture up to blastocyst stage. our results demonstrated that oocytes treated with 0.5 mg/ml lc showed higher (p < 0.05) rates of matura ...201728802113
single layer centrifugation of fresh dromedary camel semen improves sperm quality and in vitro fertilization capacity compared with simple sperm washing.single layer centrifugation (slc) through a colloid is a tool for selecting viable mammalian spermatozoa but has not been used previously for fresh dromedary camel sperm. semen from six camels (2 ejaculates/male) was diluted 1:5 (v:v) or 1:10 (v:v) in a tris-citrate-fructose buffer for mechanical liquefaction by gentle pipetting. following liquefaction, semen was processed either by slc or by centrifugation without a colloid (control). total and progressive motilities, casa kinematics, vitality ...201728801955
impact of cryopreservation method on dromedary camel ovary structure, viability, and development of antral follicular oocytes.the objectives of this study were, a) to compare two different vitrification techniques, the solid surface vitrification (ssv) and direct vitrification (dv) method, b) to evaluate the effect of four cryoprotectant agents and their toxicity on the morphological appearance and ultrastructural of camel ovarian cortex, c) to examine the development of oocytes recovered from the vitrified ovarian cortex. fragments of ovarian cortex were exposed to equilibration solution consisting of tcm- 199 with 10 ...201728750938
investigation on papillomavirus infection in dromedary camels in al-ahsa, saudi arabia.we investigated two outbreaks of papillomatosis between 2013 and 2015 in al ahsa region of eastern saudi arabia involving fourteen dromedary camels. the disease affected both young and adult animals and occurred in coincidence with demodectic mange infestation. diagnosis was made based on gross and histopathological characteristics of the wart lesion and was confirmed by pcr. rolling circle amplification followed by degenerate primer pcr and sequencing of the amplicons revealed the presence of b ...201728717601
developmental competence of dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius) oocytes selected using brilliant cresyl blue staining.the objectives of the present studies were to investigate the developmental capacity of dromedary camel oocytes selected by brilliant cresyl blue (bcb) staining and to investigate the expression of select transcripts in germinal vesicle (gv) stage oocytes. these transcripts included bmp15 and gdf9 as important transcripts for folliculogenesis and oocyte development, zar1 and mater as maternal transcripts required for embryonic development, cyclin b1 and cdk1 as cell cycle regulators and oct4 and ...201728693630
in vivoimmunotherapy of lung cancer using cross-species reactive vascular endothelial growth factor nanobodies.lung cancer is the main leading cause of cancer death worldwide. angiogenesis is the main step in proliferation and spreading of tumor cells. targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) is an effective approach for inhibition of cancer angiogenesis. nanobodies (nbs) are a novel class of antibodies derived from the camel. unique characteristics of nbs like their small size and good penetration to tumor tissues makes them promising tools in drug development. development of nbs targeting bo ...201728656083
reactivity of commercially available monoclonal antibodies to human cd antigens with peripheral blood leucocytes of dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius).monoclonal antibodies (mabs) to cell surface molecules have been proven as a key tool for phenotypic and functional characterization of the cellular immune response. one of the major difficulties in studying camel cellular immunity consists in the lack of mabs that dtect their leukocyte differentiation antigens. in the present study two-parameter flow cytometry was used to screen existing commercially available mabs to human leukocyte antigens and major histocompatibility molecules (mhc) for the ...201728652982
the occurrence of three d-j-c clusters within the dromedary trb locus highlights a shared evolution in tylopoda, ruminantia and suina.the αβ t cells are important components of the adaptive immune system and can recognize a vast array of peptides presented by mhc molecules. the ability of these t cells to recognize the complex depends on the diversity of the αβ tr, which is generated by a recombination of specific variable, diversity and joining genes for the β chain, and variable and joining genes for the α chain. in this study, we analysed the genomic structure and the gene content of the trb locus in camelus dromedarius, wh ...201728577760
echography of clinically relevant disorders in the genital tract of female dromedary camels.the aim of this study was to characterize the clinically relevant genital tract disorders of dromedary camels. reproductive tract examinations were performed via transrectal palpation, ultrasonography and vaginal exploration. the ultrasonic appearance of the reproductive pathology was described and compared with its morphology at laparotomy, after surgical removal, during postmortem examination or upon slaughter. diagnosis was also confirmed by histopathology. the most frequently encountered fol ...201728545987
production and preclinical assessment of camelid immunoglobulins against echis sochureki venom from desert of rajasthan, india.snakebite is a significant cause of death and disability in subsistent farming populations of rural india. antivenom is the most effective treatment of envenoming and is manufactured from igg of venom-immunised horses. because of complex fiscal reasons, the production, testing and delivery of antivenoms designed to treat envenoming by the most medically-important snakes in the region has been questioned time to time. in this study, we report successful immunisation of dromedaries (camelus dromed ...201728528176
in vitro production of sudanese camel (camelus dromedarius) embryos from epididymal spermatozoa and follicular oocytes of slaughtered animals.application of assisted reproductive technology in camelidea, such as artificial insemination (ai) and embryo transfer, has been slow in comparison to that for other livestock species. in egypt, there are few attempts to establish in vitro maturation (ivm) and fertilization (ivf) techniques in dromedary camel. the present study was carried out to produce sudanese camel embryos using in vitro matured oocytes and epididymal spermatozoa. dromedary camel ovaries were collected from abattoirs and the ...201728525345
morphometric assessment of in vitro matured dromedary camel oocytes determines the developmental competence after parthenogenetic activation.the aim of the current study was to improve the selection method of camel oocytes after in vitro maturation by reducing exclusion criteria that were based only on the presence of the first polar body. a combined nuclear and morphometric assessment of camel oocytes after in vitro maturation was included to perform a judgment. the nuclear status of the oocytes, including the presence of the first polar body, meiosis i stage, and lack of nuclear materials, was investigated. the morphometric criteri ...201728460668
seroprevalence of brucella antibodies in camels in katsina state, nigeria.a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the status of brucella infection in one-humped (dromedary) camels in the north and central senatorial districts of katsina state, nigeria. nine hundred and eighty serum samples from live and slaughtered camels were tested. modified rose bengal plate test (rbpt) and serum agglutination test (sat) with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, (edta) were used as screening and standard tests, respectively. the prevalence of brucella antibodies were 110 ( ...201728456876
antihypertensive effect of fermented skim camel (camelus dromedarius) milk on spontaneously hypertensive rats.hypertension is one of the most common diseases in worldwide, thus prevention of hypertension is important in reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease. milk contains bioactive peptides released during milk fermentation which lead to exhibit angiotensin i converting enzyme (ace) inhibitory.201728421799
effects of natural environment on reproductive histo-morphometric dynamics of female dromedary camel.camel shows a seasonal breeding pattern with enhanced reproductive activity during the period of low climatic temperature, high rainfall and better food conditions. therefore, the study was conducted to explore the underlying seasonal effects on histological dimensions of reproductive tract in adult female one-humped camel (camelus dromedarius) kept in the natural environment of pakistan. a total 25 reproductive tracts were collected during spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons and were anal ...201728413155
supplementation of tris-based extender with plasma egg yolk of six avian species and camel skim milk for chilled preservation of dromedary camel semen.the present study was conducted to investigate a suitable source (expt. 1) and concentration (expt. 2) of plasma egg yolk (pey) and concentration of camel skim milk (csm; expt. 3) to supplement tris based extender for chilled storage of dromedary camel semen. in expt. 1, pey (20%) of six avian species (domestic chicken, domestic duck, japanese quail, partridge, pigeon and guinea fowl) was added to semen extender. in expt. 2, different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) of selected pey from e ...201728709736
epidemiological study of common diseases and their risk factors in camels in south punjab, pakistan.bacteriological study of mastitis along with common blood protozoan diseases were studied in dromedary camels in cholistan, dera ismail khan and rahim yar khan districts in south punjab, pakistan. for this purpose 300 camels were sampled randomly at different common grazing and watering point. for study of blood parasites clinically suspected and apparently healthy camels, 150 each, were sampled. an overall prevalence of 15%and 5% was recorded for trypanosomiasis and anaplasmosis respectively. t ...201728428133
crimean congo hemorrhagic fever among the one-humped camel (camelus dromedaries) in central sudan.crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (cchf) is a tick-borne viral zoonotic disease caused by crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv), a member of the genus nairovirus in the family bunyaviridae. cchf is typically asymptomatic in animals but can be highly fatal in humans approaching case fatality rate of approximately 30%. in the present investigation, a cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of cchf and to identify the potential risk factors associated with cchfv seropo ...201728774342
camelus dromedarius glucose transporter 4: in silico analysis, cloning, expression, purification and characterisation in e. coli.camels have exceptional carbohydrate metabolism as their plasma glucose level is high and have low whole body insulin sensitivity, similar to that observed in type 2 diabetes patients. we aimed at studing an important component of insulin signalling pathway, the glut4, in camel. camelus dromedarius glut4 (cdglut4) cds is 1530 nucleotide in length that encodes for a 55kda protein. cdglut4 has 23 amino acid substitutions and 3n-glycosylation sites, compared to 2 in human glut4. 3 d structures of c ...201728440667
serological evidence of hepatitis e virus infection in dromedary camels in ethiopia.the genome of dromedary camel hepatitis e virus (dchev) has been detected in stool and serum samples from dromedary camels, but the sero-epidemiological information of dchev infection remains unclear. a total of 246 serum samples collected from dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius) in ethiopia, and 40 serum samples from bactrian camels (camelus ferus) in mongolia were examined for the detection of anti-dchev igg antibody by a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) by using dc ...201728438608
hepatitis e virus genotypes and evolution: emergence of camel hepatitis e variants.hepatitis e virus (hev) is a major cause of viral hepatitis globally. zoonotic hev is an important cause of chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised patients. the rapid identification of novel hev variants and accumulating sequence information has prompted significant changes in taxonomy of the family hepeviridae. this family includes two genera: orthohepevirus, which infects terrestrial vertebrates, and piscihepevirus, which infects fish. within orthohepevirus, there are four species, a-d, with w ...201728425927
selection of nanobodies with broad neutralizing potential against primary hiv-1 strains using soluble subtype c gp140 envelope trimers.broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnabs) against hiv-1 protect from infection and reduce viral load upon therapeutic applications. however no vaccine was able so far to induce bnabs demanding their expensive biotechnological production. for clinical applications, nanobodies (vhh) derived from heavy chain only antibodies from camelidae, may be better suited due to their small size, high solubility/stability and extensive homology to human vh3 genes. here we selected broadly neutralizing nanobodies ...201728827559
serologic evidence for influenza c and d virus among ruminants and camelids, africa, 1991-2015.influenza d virus has been identified in america, europe, and asia. we detected influenza d virus antibodies in cattle and small ruminants from north (morocco) and west (togo and benin) africa. dromedary camels in kenya harbored influenza c or d virus antibodies, indicating a potential new host for these viruses.201728820371
molecular study on pasteurella multocida and mannheimia granulomatis from kenyan camels (camelus dromedarius).outbreaks of a haemorrhagic septicaemia (hs) like disease causing large mortalities in camels (camelus dromedarius) in asia and in africa have been reported since 1890. yet the aetiology of this condition remains elusive. this study is the first to apply state of the art molecular methods to shed light on the nasopharyngeal carrier state of pasteurellaceae in camels. the study focused on hs causing pasteurella multocida capsular types b and e. other pasteurellaceae, implicated in common respirat ...201728830429
a46 mers-cov in arabian camels in africa and central asia. 201728845242
middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus: five years later.in the past five years, there have been 1,936 laboratory-confirmed cases of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) in 27 countries, with a mortality rate of 35.6%. most cases have arisen in the middle east, particularly the kingdom of saudi arabia, however there was a large hospital-associated outbreak in the republic of korea in 2015. exposure to dromedary camels has been recognized by the world health organization (who) as a risk factor in primary cases, but the exact mechanis ...201728826284
correction: serological evidence of mers-cov antibodies in dromedary camels (camelus dromedaries) in laikipia county, kenya.[this corrects the article doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140125.].201728542448
prevalence of antibodies to neospora caninum in the serum of camels (camelus dromedarius) from central punjab, pakistan.infection with the apicomplexan parasite neospora caninum occurs in domestic and wild animals worldwide. this parasite causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry worldwide. the current study was designed to assess the prevalence of n. caninum antibodies in the sera of camels (camelus dromedarius) from rakh mahni, bhakkar, pakistan, to better understand the epidemiology of this important cause of bovine abortion in pakistan. eighty-one sera samples collected from apparently healthy ...201728470581
draft genome sequences of seven streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated from camelus dromedarius at the horn of africa.we present draft whole-genome sequences of seven streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated from camelus dromedarius in kenya and somalia. these data are an extension to the group b streptococcus (gbs) pangenome and might provide more insight into the underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of camel gbs.201728705964
trypanosoma evansi infection and major risk factors for iranian one-humped camels (camelus dromedarius).trypanosoma evansi is a cosmopolitan protozoan which affects camelids and may cause illness and economic losses. the present study was aimed to determine the prevalence and geographic distribution of t. evansi in iranian one-humped camels of south east iran. a total of 369 camels were randomly examined from three parts of southeastern iran from march to september 2015. blood samples were taken from jugular vein and examined by using thin blood smear and mercuric chloride test. ninety-five out of ...201728848291
trypanosoma vivax is the second leading cause of camel trypanosomosis in sudan after trypanosoma evansi.this study was conducted in response to recurring reports from eastern sudan of camel trypanosomosis that can no longer be treated by currently available trypanocidal drugs. one hundred and eighty-nine blood samples were obtained from camels in different herds and local markets in the western part of sudan, and a cross-sectional study was carried out between december 2015 and february 2016 to identify the causative agents and possible circulating genotypes.201728403897
parasitic diseases of camels in iran (1931-2017) - a literature review.parasitic diseases of camels are major causes of impaired milk and meat production, decreases in performance or even death. some camel parasites also represent a threat to human health. about 171,500 one-humped camels (camelus dromedarius) and 100-300 two-humped camels (camelus bactrianus) live in iran. knowledge of the biodiversity of their parasites is still limited. the present review covers all information about camel parasitic diseases in iran published as dissertations and in both iranian ...201728617666
middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus experimental transmission using a pig model.dromedary camels are the main reservoir of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov), but other livestock species (i.e., alpacas, llamas, and pigs) are also susceptible to infection with mers-cov. animal-to-animal transmission in alpacas was reported, but evidence for transmission in other species has not been proved. this study explored pig-to-pig mers-cov transmission experimentally. virus was present in nasal swabs of infected animals, and limited amounts of viral rna, but no in ...201728653496
longitudinal study of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in dromedary camel herds in saudi arabia, 2014-2015.two herds of dromedary camels were longitudinally sampled with nasal and rectal swabs and serum, between september 2014 and may 2015, and the samples were tested for middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) coronavirus rna and antibodies. evidence of mers-cov infection was confirmed in one herd on the basis of detection of virus rna in nasal swabs from three camels and significant increases in the antibody titers from three others. the three viruses were genetically identical, thus indicating int ...201728634355
dromedary camels in northern mali have high seropositivity to mers-cov.a high percentage (up to 90%) of dromedary camels in the middle east as well as eastern and central africa have antibodies to middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov). here we report comparably high positivity of mers-cov antibodies in dromedary camels from northern mali. this extends the range of mers-cov further west in africa than reported to date and cautions that mers-cov should be considered in cases of severe respiratory disease in the region.201728616502
mers-coronavirus: from discovery to intervention.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) still causes outbreaks despite public awareness and implementation of health care measures, such as rapid viral diagnosis and patient quarantine. here we describe the current epidemiological picture of mers-cov, focusing on humans and animals affected by this virus and propose specific intervention strategies that would be appropriate to control mers-cov. one-third of mers-cov patients develop severe lower respiratory tract infection and su ...201728616497
two novel dromedary camel bocaparvoviruses from dromedaries in the middle east with unique genomic features.the recent emergence of middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) coronavirus and its discovery from dromedary camels has boosted interest in the search for novel viruses in dromedaries. while bocaparvoviruses are known to infect various animals, it was not known that they exist in dromedaries. in this study, we describe the discovery of two novel dromedary camel bocaparvoviruses (dbovs), dbov1 and dbov2, from dromedary faecal samples in dubai. among 667 adult dromedaries and 72 dromedary calves, ...201728613145
chadox1 and mva based vaccine candidates against mers-cov elicit neutralising antibodies and cellular immune responses in mice.the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) has infected more than 1900 humans, since 2012. the syndrome ranges from asymptomatic and mild cases to severe pneumonia and death. the virus is believed to be circulating in dromedary camels without notable symptoms since the 1980s. therefore, dromedary camels are considered the only animal source of infection. neither antiviral drugs nor vaccines are approved for veterinary or medical use despite active research on this area. here, we ...201728579232
molecular aspects of mers-cov.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is a betacoronavirus which can cause acute respiratory distress in humans and is associated with a relatively high mortality rate. since it was first identified in a patient who died in a jeddah hospital in 2012, the world health organization has been notified of 1735 laboratory-confirmed cases from 27 countries, including 628 deaths. most cases have occurred in saudi arabia. mers-covancestors may be found in oldworld bats of the vespertili ...201728500431
tissue distribution of the mers-coronavirus receptor in bats.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) has been shown to infect both humans and dromedary camels using dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (dpp4) as its receptor. the distribution of dpp4 in the respiratory tract tissues of humans and camels reflects mers-cov tropism. apart from dromedary camels, insectivorous bats are suggested as another natural reservoir for mers-like-covs. in order to gain insight on the tropism of these viruses in bats, we studied the dpp4 distribution in the respirator ...201728446791
middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus vaccines: current status and novel approaches.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is a cause of severe respiratory infection in humans, specifically the elderly and people with comorbidities. the re-emergence of lethal coronaviruses calls for international collaboration to produce coronavirus vaccines, which are still lacking to date. ongoing efforts to develop mers-cov vaccines should consider the different target populations (dromedary camels and humans) and the correlates of protection. extending on our current knowle ...201728412285
protective efficacy of a novel simian adenovirus vaccine against lethal mers-cov challenge in a transgenic human dpp4 mouse model.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is a novel zoonotic virus that causes severe respiratory disease in humans with a case fatality rate close to 40%, but for which no vaccines are available. here, we evaluated the utility of chadox1, a promising replication-deficient simian adenovirus vaccine vector platform with an established safety profile in humans and dromedary camels, for mers-cov vaccine development. using a transgenic lethal balb/c mers-cov mouse model we showed that ...201729263883
diversity of middle east respiratory syndrome coronaviruses in 109 dromedary camels based on full-genome sequencing, abu dhabi, united arab emirates.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) was identified on the arabian peninsula in 2012 and is still causing cases and outbreaks in the middle east. when mers-cov was first identified, the closest related virus was in bats; however, it has since been recognized that dromedary camels serve as a virus reservoir and potential source for human infections. a total of 376 camels were screened for mers-cov at a live animal market in the eastern region of the emirate of abu dhabi, uae. i ...201729116217
cross-sectional study of mers-cov-specific rna and antibodies in animals that have had contact with mers patients in saudi arabia.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is a newly emerged coronavirus that is associated with a severe respiratory disease in humans in the middle east. the epidemiological profiles of the mers-cov infections suggest zoonotic transmission from an animal reservoir to humans.201728993171
bovine herpesvirus-1 (bhv-1), bovine leukemia virus (blv) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv) infections in algerian dromedary camels (camelus dromaderius).this study was performed to investigate the presence of bovine herpesvirus-1 (bhv-1), bovine leukemia virus (blv) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv) infections in dromedary camels (camelus dromaderius) kept in mixed herds with sheep and goats in algeria, since the prevalence of bhv-1, bvdv, and blv infections among dromedary camels in algeria is unknown. totally, 111 camel sera were collected from two provinces (laghouat and ghardaia) in algeria. the sera were analyzed for bhv-1 specific ant ...201729134541
identification of sialic acid-binding function for the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike glycoprotein.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) targets the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract both in humans and in its natural host, the dromedary camel. virion attachment to host cells is mediated by 20-nm-long homotrimers of spike envelope protein s. the n-terminal subunit of each s protomer, called s1, folds into four distinct domains designated s1athrough s1dbinding of mers-cov to the cell surface entry receptor dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4) occurs via s1bwe now demonstrate ...201728923942
identification of diverse viruses in upper respiratory samples in dromedary camels from united arab emirates.camels are known carriers for many viral pathogens, including middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov). it is likely that there are additional, as yet unidentified viruses in camels with the potential to cause disease in humans. in this study, we performed metagenomic sequencing analysis on nasopharyngeal swab samples from 108 mers-cov-positive dromedary camels from a live animal market in abu dhabi, united arab emirates. we obtained a total of 846.72 million high-quality reads fr ...201728902913
seroprevalence and risk factors for <i>coxiella burnetii</i>, the causative agent of q fever in the dromedary camel (<i>camelus dromedarius</i>) population in algeria.query (q) fever is a globally distributed zoonotic disease caused by coxiella burnetii, a bacterial agent for which ruminants are the most prevalent natural reservoir. data regarding q fever infection in camels in algeria are limited. therefore, a survey to detect seroprevalence of c. burnetii antibodies was conducted among healthy camel populations in a vast area in southeastern algeria to determine distribution of the q fever causative organism and to identify risk factors associated with infe ...201728893076
molecular cloning, bioinformatics analysis, and expression of small heat shock protein beta-1 from camelus dromedarius, arabian camel.small heat shock protein beta-1 (hspb-1) plays an essential role in the protection of cells against environmental stress.elucidation of its molecular, structural, and biological characteristics in a naturally wild-type model is essential. although the sequence information of the hspb-1 gene is available for many mammalian species, the hspb-1 gene of arabian camel (arabian camel hspb-1) has not yet been structurally characterized. we cloned and functionally characterized a full-length of arabian ...201729287083
successful pregnancies from vitrified embryos in the dromedary camel: avoidance of a possible toxic effect of sucrose on embryos.successful embryo cryopreservation facilitates the wider application of assisted reproduction technologies and also provides a useful method for gene banking of valuable genetics. unfortunately attempts to establish an effective cryopreservation protocol for camelid embryos have been unsuccessful. in the current study, a modified vitrification protocol with three steps was investigated, whereby embryos were exposed to solutions containing increasing amounts of glycerol and ethylene glycol for fi ...201729110898
histological characterization of umbilical cord in alpaca (vicugna pacos).the histomorphometric features of umbilical cord constituents in seven foetuses of alpaca (vicugna pacos) from cerro de pasco, department, peru, were determined. sections of 2-5 cm of umbilical cord were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed for light microscopy. standard histological slides stained with haematoxylin and eosin, masson's trichrome and van gieson's trichrome were obtained. histologically, common features of umbilical artery and vein were observed as well as mucous c ...201728884482
zoonotic origin and transmission of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the uae.since the emergence of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) in 2012, there have been a number of clusters of human-to-human transmission. these cases of human-to-human transmission involve close contact and have occurred primarily in healthcare settings, and they are suspected to result from repeated zoonotic introductions. in this study, we sequenced whole mers-cov genomes directly from respiratory samples collected from 23 confirmed mers cases in the united arab emirates (ua ...201729239118
molecular evolution of mers coronavirus: dromedaries as a recent intermediate host or long-time animal reservoir?while dromedary camels are the immediate animal source of mers coronavirus (mers-cov) infection, the evolutionary origin of mers-cov remains obscure. we analyzed 219 camel and human mers-cov genome sequences available in genbank. phylogenetic analysis showed that 5 and 214 strains belong to clade a and b, respectively, with clade a further divided into lineage a1 (3 human strains) and lineage a2 (2 camel strains), and clade b divided into b1 to b6 (each containing both human and camel strains). ...201729035289
first cloned bactrian camel (camelus bactrianus) calf produced by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer: a step towards preserving the critically endangered wild bactrian camels.studies were conducted to explore the possibility of employing dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius) oocytes as recipient cytoplasts for the development of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iscnt) embryos using skin fibroblast cells of an adult bactrian camel (camelus bactrianus) and llama (llama glama) as donor nuclei. also, the embryos reconstructed with bactrian cells were transferred into the uterus of synchronized dromedary camel recipients to explore the possibility of using them ...201728545049
development of an ultrasound-guided technique for retrobulbar nerve block in dromedary camels: a cadaveric study.description of an ultrasound (us)-guided technique for retrobulbar nerve blockade in dromedary (camelus dromedarius) cadavers.201729415860
comparing three superovulation protocols in dromedary camels: fsh, ecg-fsh and hmg.the objective of this study was to compare three superovulation protocols in dromedary camels. follicular waves of dromedary camel donors (n=6) were synchronized using two gnrh injections. superovulation was initiated 2 days after the second injection (day 0 of experiment). the experiment was conducted using change over design, where all females received three superovulation treatments one after the other with a resting period of one month in between. superovulation was carried out for all donor ...201729387096
prevalence and molecular identification of piroplasmids in iranian dromedaries ( camelus dromedarius).camels ( camelus dromedarius) are important, multipurpose local animals in iran. despite their importance, camelid parasitic diseases have not received adequate attention in the veterinary literature. the present study investigated the prevalence of, and molecularly identified, camel piroplasms in iran. blood samples from 248 camels from five different regions of iran were screened for the presence of piroplasmid infection using an 18srrna polymerase chain reaction (pcr) sequencing method. of th ...201729297802
rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius) using lateral flow assay-based kit.accurate early antemortem diagnosis of tuberculosis in dromedary camels is difficult due to the lack of reliable diagnostic test. the present study aimed to evaluate a lateral flow assay-based kit (rapid assay kit) in tuberculosis diagnosis that employs immuno-chromatographic detection of antibodies in serum, plasma, or whole blood. in a dromedary camel herd comprising 337 animals located at bikaner, rajasthan, india, 50 adult weak camels (11 males and 39 females) were tested by applying a singl ...201729264819
the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius): cytoarchitecture and neurochemical anatomy.in mammals, biological rhythms are driven by a master circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (scn) of the hypothalamus. recently, we have demonstrated that in the camel, the daily cycle of environmental temperature is able to entrain the master clock. this raises several questions about the structure and function of the scn in this species. the current work is the first neuroanatomical investigation of the camel scn. we carried out a cartography and cytoarchitectural study of the ...201729249943
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