Camels could be source of deadly virus

Scientists studying a deadly virus say they are closer to finding its source.

Research suggests that camels could be responsible for passing Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - or MERS - to humans. The study is published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Reporter

Rebecca Morelle

Report

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This deadly virus first emerged in the Middle East last year. So far, it's infected nearly 100 people, killing about half of them - and scientists have been striving to understand how it spreads.

Now tests have revealed that dromedary camels in Oman and the Canary Islands have signs of the virus in their blood. Scientists have found antibodies that show that the animals were once infected with the Mers virus, or one that's very similar.

This, though, doesn't offer definitive proof that camels are reservoirs for the disease. For that, scientists need to look at animals from the country where the virus is most prevalent - Saudi Arabia - to see if they carry the infection. Researchers say confirming the source of the virus is a priority and will be crucial for halting its spread.

Vocabulary

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striving: berusaha, berjuang

spreads: menyebar

antibodies: antibodi, zat dalam darah yang membantu melindungi dari penyakit

reservoirs: sumber

prevalent: umum

priority: prioritas

crucial: sangat penting

halting: menghentikan