This technical consultation will be organized as a tripartite effort by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), in collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
Background
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remains a significant zoonotic threat, with recurrent spillover events from dromedary camels driving ongoing human infections. Since its identification in 2012, more than 2600 human cases have been reported globally, with a case fatality rate of 37%. The role of dromedaries in ongoing transmission has led to growing interest in camel vaccination as a One Health intervention to prevent spillover to humans.
Experimental studies have generated encouraging evidence that several MERS-CoV vaccine candidates can induce immune responses in camelids and, in some studies, reduce infection and/or viral shedding. Furthermore, recent modeling studies indicate that vaccination of camels, particularly if targeted to calves and if achieving sufficient coverage, could reduce both animal and human infection in certain transmission settings. However, important knowledge gaps remain regarding the acceptability, logistical implementation, cost-effectiveness, and public health impact of large-scale camel vaccination campaigns.
This consultation will build on the One Health Session on MERS-CoV camel vaccination that was convened by the tripartite organizations in November 2025 as part of a MERS-CoV vaccine use case workshop held by CEPI. During that event, participants identified camel vaccination as a valuable complement to MERS control efforts and identified several implementation challenges and evidence gaps. The current event will move to detailed, evidence-based assessment of the camel vaccination use case. Through deep-dive activities with subject-matter experts it will systematically evaluate the operational, economic, and social dimensions of implementing camel vaccination campaigns, with the goal of producing actionable recommendations for policymakers and funders.
Objectives of the consultation
- Evaluate public health impacts, cost-effectiveness and financing for camel vaccination, including development, procurement, and implementation.
- Identify the social, cultural, religious, and regulatory considerations affecting vaccine acceptance and deployment and explore government readiness and willingness (both public health and animal health sectors) to financially support vaccination programs.
- Review the readiness of advanced MERS-CoV veterinary vaccine candidates for field evaluation and identify the requirements for evaluation and implementation of MERS-CoV vaccination in dromedary camels.
The outputs of this consultation will include a structured list of critical data and knowledge gaps to inform future research and decision-making, and a joint FAO-WHO-WOAH statement on MERS-CoV vaccination in camels.
Proceedings
The technical consultation will be held virtually as two half-day sessions at the end of November 2026. This session will be conducted with a mix of presentations, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and breakout group work.
Selected experts will be expected to:
- review (and discuss) relevant background materials provided in advance including information from the pre-consultation survey and literature review
- participate actively in the online consultation and contribute technical and practical perspectives
- help identify and prioritize critical evidence gaps, and contribute to the development of preliminary recommendations and priority areas for further work.
- (possibly) provide brief written comments following the consultation
A public stakeholder webinar, incorporating the findings from the technical consultation, will be held in December 2026: technical consultation experts are encouraged to attend.
Participants (technical consultation, November 2026)
Subject matter experts from the following fields:
- Veterinary epidemiology and camel health
- Animal vaccine development and evaluation
- Health economics
- Social sciences and pastoralist communities
- Regulatory and policy expertise
Experts from countries with significant dromedary camel populations and/or relevant MERS-CoV experience.
Other participants will include but not be limited to: tripartite organization and CEPI representatives, national authorities, vaccine developers, academics and collaborating centre partners, camel breeders/pastoralists, and other experts identified through the call of interest.
Language
The consultation will be held in English.
Meeting Venue
Virtual.