In fact, we mentioned in our paper [2] in detail that the cycle threshold (Ct) values in nasal and conjunctival swabs of the five MERS-CoV reverse transcriptionquantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) positive Omani camels ranged from as low as 15.74 to 36.29, indicating a high viral load in the former. Our results were confirmed in a recent report by Raj et al. [3], who demonstrated an...

A specific camel VHH (variable domain of dromedary heavy chain antibody) fragment was used to crystallize the intrinsically flexible addiction antidote MazE. Only 45% of the polypeptide chain is found ordered in the crystal. The MazE monomer consisting of two beta-hairpins connected by a short alpha-helix has no hydrophobic core on its own and represents only one half of a typical protein domai...

BACKGROUND The Suleiman mountainous region is an important cradle of animal domestication and the habitat of many indigenous livestock breeds. The dromedary camel is a highly appreciated and valued animal and represents an important genetic resource. Camel herders, living in remote areas, have developed their own ways to treat diseases in camels, based on a long time of experience. METHODS In...

References 1. Zaki AM, van Boheemen S, Bestebroer TM, Osterhaus ADME, Fouchier RAM. Isolation of a novel coronavirus from a man with pneumonia in Saudi Arabia. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:1814–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1211721 2. World Health Organization. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): summary of current situation, literature update and risk assessment–as of 5 Fe...

Artificial insemination (AI) is an important technique in all domestic species to ensure rapid genetic progress. The use of AI has been reported in camelids although insemination trials are rare. This could be because of the difficulties involved in collecting as well as handling the semen due to the gelatinous nature of the seminal plasma. In addition, as all camelids are induced ovulators, th...

testicles were isolated from dromedary camels in a local slaughterhouse at breeding and non-breeding seasons. sperms were recovered from different parts of the epididymis (caput, corpus and cauda) and stained separately on slide glasses by eosin nigrosin staining method and dried by a hair dryer and carried to the laboratory. in the lab, slides were observed for evaluation of the proportion of ...