Antibodies to SARS-Coronavirus in Civets

Antibodies to SARS-Coronavirus in Civets

Yan-wei Sun, Xianzhu Xia, Meng Yu, Shengwang Liu, Hua Xiang, Jinding Chen, Gary Crameri, Lin-Fa Wang, Xiangang Kong, Changchun Tu, Yunwen Hu, Bryan T. Eaton, Hua Xuan, Yedong Yu

Using three different assays, we examined 103 serum samples collected from different civet farms and a market in China in June 2003 and January 2004. While civets on farms were largely free from SARS-CoV infection, ≈80% of the animals from one animal market in Guangzhou contained significant levels of antibody to SARS-CoV, which suggests no widespread infection among civets resident on farms, and the infection of civets in the market might be associated with trading activities under the conditions of overcrowding and mixing of various animal species.

2004

China, Antibodies, dispatch, SARS-CoV, civets

DOI: 10.3201/eid1012.040520

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine