Scientists to test dogs, cats and rats

An expert tells BBC News that lack of knowledge about the disease, which has about a 30% death rate, is forcing researchers to look more closely at domestic animals, including dogs and cats.  If camels were the only source of infection, he notes, more people who work with them should be infected.  A small number of fatal cases have happened without any known contact with camels.  No evidence of infection has been found in goats and sheep.

The others that we are looking into or are trying to look into are cats, dogs – where there is more intimate contact – and any other wild species we can get serum from that we are not currently getting.