MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study
Prospective cohort study to investigate the potential exposure to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following Hajj pilgrims is still very limited. Here, we report the antibody seroconversion study results obtained from successive three years cohort studies (2016–2018) invol...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2208678 |
| _version_ | 1826898927611281408 |
|---|---|
| author | Jefree Johari Robert D. Hontz Brian L. Pike Tupur Husain Norhayati Rusli Rozainanee Mohd-Zain Vunjia Tiong Hai-Yen Lee Boon-Teong Teoh Sing-Sin Sam Chee-Sieng Khor Shih-Keng Loong Juraina Abd-Jamil Siti-Sarah Nor'e Hasmawati Yahaya Naim Che-Kamaruddin Jose A. Garcia-Rivera Sazaly AbuBakar |
| author_facet | Jefree Johari Robert D. Hontz Brian L. Pike Tupur Husain Norhayati Rusli Rozainanee Mohd-Zain Vunjia Tiong Hai-Yen Lee Boon-Teong Teoh Sing-Sin Sam Chee-Sieng Khor Shih-Keng Loong Juraina Abd-Jamil Siti-Sarah Nor'e Hasmawati Yahaya Naim Che-Kamaruddin Jose A. Garcia-Rivera Sazaly AbuBakar |
| author_sort | Jefree Johari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Prospective cohort study to investigate the potential exposure to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following Hajj pilgrims is still very limited. Here, we report the antibody seroconversion study results obtained from successive three years cohort studies (2016–2018) involving the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. A cohort study of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia enrolled 2,863 participants from 2016–2018, all of whom consented to provide paired blood samples for both pre- and post-Hajj travel to the Middle East. ELISAs and micro-neutralization assays were performed to detect the presence of MERS-CoV IgG antibodies. Sociodemographic data, symptoms experienced during Hajj, and history of exposure to camels or camel products were recorded using structured pre- and post-Hajj questionnaires. A 4-fold increase in anti-MERS-CoV IgG between paired pre-Hajj and post-Hajj serum samples in twelve participants was observed. None of the twelve ELISA-positive sera had detectable levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies. All reportedly had mild symptoms of respiratory symptoms at a certain point during the pilgrimage, implying mild or asymptomatic infections. No association between post-Hajj serum positivity and a history of exposure to camels or camel products was obtained. Findings from the study suggest that serologic conversion to MERS-CoV occurred in at least 0.6% of the Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. Since all the seroconvertants had mild to no symptoms during the sampling period, it highlights the likelihood of occurrence of only low infectivity spillover infections among the Hajj pilgrims. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:35:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33765cafdbec471d9ca27de48d7be13e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2222-1751 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-17T06:44:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| spelling | doaj.art-33765cafdbec471d9ca27de48d7be13e2025-01-06T13:38:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512023-12-0112110.1080/22221751.2023.2208678MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort studyJefree Johari0Robert D. Hontz1Brian L. Pike2Tupur Husain3Norhayati Rusli4Rozainanee Mohd-Zain5Vunjia Tiong6Hai-Yen Lee7Boon-Teong Teoh8Sing-Sin Sam9Chee-Sieng Khor10Shih-Keng Loong11Juraina Abd-Jamil12Siti-Sarah Nor'e13Hasmawati Yahaya14Naim Che-Kamaruddin15Jose A. Garcia-Rivera16Sazaly AbuBakar17Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaU.S. Naval Medical Research Center – Asia, Singapore, SingaporeU.S. Naval Medical Research Center – Asia, Singapore, SingaporeU.S. Naval Medical Research Center – Asia, Singapore, SingaporeMinistry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, MalaysiaMinistry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaU.S. Naval Medical Research Unit – 2, Phnom Penh, CambodiaTropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaProspective cohort study to investigate the potential exposure to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following Hajj pilgrims is still very limited. Here, we report the antibody seroconversion study results obtained from successive three years cohort studies (2016–2018) involving the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. A cohort study of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia enrolled 2,863 participants from 2016–2018, all of whom consented to provide paired blood samples for both pre- and post-Hajj travel to the Middle East. ELISAs and micro-neutralization assays were performed to detect the presence of MERS-CoV IgG antibodies. Sociodemographic data, symptoms experienced during Hajj, and history of exposure to camels or camel products were recorded using structured pre- and post-Hajj questionnaires. A 4-fold increase in anti-MERS-CoV IgG between paired pre-Hajj and post-Hajj serum samples in twelve participants was observed. None of the twelve ELISA-positive sera had detectable levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies. All reportedly had mild symptoms of respiratory symptoms at a certain point during the pilgrimage, implying mild or asymptomatic infections. No association between post-Hajj serum positivity and a history of exposure to camels or camel products was obtained. Findings from the study suggest that serologic conversion to MERS-CoV occurred in at least 0.6% of the Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. Since all the seroconvertants had mild to no symptoms during the sampling period, it highlights the likelihood of occurrence of only low infectivity spillover infections among the Hajj pilgrims.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2208678Infectious diseasesMERS-CoVHajj pilgrimsseroconversionserologyepidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Jefree Johari Robert D. Hontz Brian L. Pike Tupur Husain Norhayati Rusli Rozainanee Mohd-Zain Vunjia Tiong Hai-Yen Lee Boon-Teong Teoh Sing-Sin Sam Chee-Sieng Khor Shih-Keng Loong Juraina Abd-Jamil Siti-Sarah Nor'e Hasmawati Yahaya Naim Che-Kamaruddin Jose A. Garcia-Rivera Sazaly AbuBakar MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study Emerging Microbes and Infections Infectious diseases MERS-CoV Hajj pilgrims seroconversion serology epidemiology |
| title | MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study |
| title_full | MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study |
| title_short | MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016–2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study |
| title_sort | mers cov seroconversion amongst malaysian hajj pilgrims returning from the middle east 2016 2018 results from the mercurial multiyear prospective cohort study |
| topic | Infectious diseases MERS-CoV Hajj pilgrims seroconversion serology epidemiology |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2208678 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jefreejohari merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT robertdhontz merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT brianlpike merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT tupurhusain merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT norhayatirusli merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT rozainaneemohdzain merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT vunjiationg merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT haiyenlee merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT boonteongteoh merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT singsinsam merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT cheesiengkhor merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT shihkengloong merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT jurainaabdjamil merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT sitisarahnore merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT hasmawatiyahaya merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT naimchekamaruddin merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT joseagarciarivera merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy AT sazalyabubakar merscovseroconversionamongstmalaysianhajjpilgrimsreturningfromthemiddleeast20162018resultsfromthemercurialmultiyearprospectivecohortstudy |