Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus during Pregnancy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013

Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a persistent zoonotic pathogen with frequent spillover from dromedary camels to humans in the Arabian Peninsula, resulting in limited outbreaks of MERS with a high case-fatality rate. Full genome sequence data from camel-derived MERS-CoV variants show diverse lineages circulating in domestic camels with frequent recombination. More than 90% of the available full MERS-CoV genome sequences derived from camels are from just two countries, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this study, we employ a novel method to amplify and sequence the partial MERS-CoV genome with high sensitivity from nasal swabs of infected camels. We recovered more than 99% of the MERS-CoV genome from field-collected samples with greater than 500 TCID50 equivalent per nasal swab from camel herds sampled in Jordan in May 2016. Our subsequent analyses of 14 camel-derived MERS-CoV genomes show a striking lack of genetic diversity circulating in Jordan camels relative to MERS-CoV genome sequences derived from large camel markets in KSA and UAE. The low genetic diversity detected in Jordan camels during our study is consistent with a lack of endemic circulation in these camel herds and reflective of data from MERS outbreaks in humans dominated by nosocomial transmission following a single introduction as reported during the 2015 MERS outbreak in South Korea. Our data suggest transmission of MERS-CoV among two camel herds in Jordan in 2016 following a single introduction event.

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Descriptive Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Infected Patients in AlAin – Abu Dhabi Emirate

Journal of Infection and Public Health ◽

10.1016/j.jiph.2018.10.099 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 137 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

F. Alkendi ◽

S. Chandrasekhar Nair ◽

R. Hashmey

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Abu Dhabi ◽

Descriptive Epidemiology ◽

Abu Dhabi Emirate

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Transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infections in Healthcare Settings, Abu Dhabi

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid2204.151615 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 647-656 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

Jennifer C. Hunter ◽

Duc Nguyen ◽

Bashir Aden ◽

Zyad Al Bandar ◽

Wafa Al Dhaheri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Abu Dhabi ◽

Healthcare Settings ◽

Coronavirus Infections

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings of a fatal case of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in the united arab emirates, april 2014.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.726143953.793535746 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Susan Weiss

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Fatal Case ◽

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Coronavirus Infection ◽

Ultrastructural Findings

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The UAE’s Disruptive Policy in Libya

Insight Turkey ◽

10.25253/99.2020224.10 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 157-177

Author(s):

Ali Bakir

Keyword(s):

Foreign Policy ◽

Middle East ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

African Country ◽

Abu Dhabi ◽

North African ◽

North African Country ◽

Power And Control ◽

Gulf Country ◽

And Control

In the last decade, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a leading counter-revolutionary force in the Middle East. Feeling the heat of change in the region, the small, oil-rich Gulf country adopted an aggressive foreign policy that defined the UAE as a disruptive force that aims to reverse the fledgling democratic trend in the Middle East. After succeeding in Egypt in 2013, Abu Dhabi decided to support field marshal and warlord Khalifa Haftar in Libya to overthrow the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, take over power, and control Libya by force. To that end, the UAE offered massive military, financial, and diplomatic support to Haftar. In this context, the present paper aims to discuss the UAE’s interventions in Libya in terms of their nature, extent, motives, goals and repercussions. It highlights the UAE’s efforts to weave regional and international alliances to support Haftar and tries to answer the questions why Abu Dhabi has been able to act with impunity in Libya despite being the top foreign player fueling the war there for many years, and whether it will be able to achieve its goals and continue its interventions in the oil-rich North African country or not.

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