The evidence is good that MERS CoV can be transmitted from dromedaries to humans. Antiboides to MERS CoV are very common in camels on the Arabian Peninsula and several countries in north Africa. The virus has also been detected in camels and humans with MERS. There are also several case resports linking humans with MERS and camels epidemioloically and through genetics of the virus. See Azhur et al. Evidence for Camel-to-Human Transmission of MERS Coronavirus. New England Journal of Medicine 2014; epub - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24896817 This case found virus from one of the patients 9 camels and from the patient were identical.
it seems MERS is very common in many dromedary populations in several countries. Perhaps it would be possible to identify a "clean" herd and then to determine what are the clinical symptoms of MERS in the dromedary or if is totally asymptomatic. It will help the vets in the field to caution camel owners on precautions to take if their camels show specific symptoms. Blanket advice such as to boil camel milk will not work. Camel milk is preferably taken fresh or slightly fermented by all !
There also two very interesting reports about that recently published online at Emerging Infectious Diseases:
Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Aug;20(8). doi: 10.3201/eid2008.140663.
Isolation of MERS Coronavirus from a Dromedary Camel, Qatar, 2014.
Raj VS, Farag EA, Reusken CB, Lamers MM, Pas SD, Voermans J, Smits SL, Osterhaus AD, Al-Mawlawi N, Al-Romaihi HE, AlHajri MM, El-Sayed AM, Mohran KA, Ghobashy H, Alhajri F, Al-Thani M, Al-Marri SA, El-Maghraby MM, Koopmans MP, Haagmans BL.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/8/14-0663_article
Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Aug;20(8). doi: 10.3201/eid2008.140596.
Antibodies against MERS Coronavirus in Dromedary Camels, Kenya, 1992-2013.
Corman VM, Jores J, Meyer B, Younan M, Liljander A, Said MY, Gluecks I, Lattwein E, Bosch BJ, Drexler JF, Bornstein S, Drosten C, Müller MA.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/8/14-0596_article
MERS CoV is always transmitted from dromedaries to humans. From protein bio assays it is clear that antiboides to MERS CoV are very common in camels. But virus is also detected in camels and humans with MERS by competitive assays. No doubt humans also link with MERS and camels epidemioloically..
Yes, it is evident in some research conducted in middle eastern countries like UAE, KSA etc. Sero-positivity showed the exposure of MERS-CoV in their lifetime.
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