Antigenic and genomic variations among cytopathic and non-cytopathic strains of bovine enteric coronavirus.

Abstract

Bovine coronavirus (BCV) is a member of the Coronaviridae family known primarly as one of the major causative agent of neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD), a disease with substantial economic impact in the dairy and beef cattle industries1. The virus has been reported to be also responsible for acute hemorrhagic enteritis (Winter dysentery)2 or mild chronic diarrhea in adult cattle, and for upper respiratory tract illness in growing calves3. Although there exist BCV strains associated to different pathological entities in the bovine species, there is still some controversy as to the existence of distinct BCV serotypes. In view of the probable occurrence of pathogenic together with non-pathogenic strains, studies of the determinants that distinguish clinical from subclinical infections are important to establish an adequate control on cattle coronaviral infections. The purpose of the present study was to define the biological, serological and genomic characteristics of BCV isolates associated with outbreaks of NCD and Winter dysentery in dairy herds in Quebec.KeywordsDairy HerdPolymorphic RegionMajor Causative AgentRespiratory Tract IllnessProteolytic Cleavage SiteThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.