Lack of MERS coronavirus neutralizing antibodies in humans, eastern province, Saudi Arabia

Emerg Infect Dis. 2013 Dec;19(12):2034-6. doi: 10.3201/eid1912.130701.

Abstract

We used a lentiviral vector bearing the viral spike protein to detect neutralizing antibodies against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in persons from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. None of the 268 samples tested displayed neutralizing activity, which suggests that MERS-CoV infections in humans are infrequent in this province.

Keywords: MERS coronavirus; MERS-CoV; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Saudi Arabia; coronavirus; neutralizing antibodies; plasma; pseudotyping; respiratory infections; seroprevalence; serum; spike; viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Coronavirus / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral