Rat coronavirus (RCV): A prevalent, naturally occurring pneumotropic virus of rats

Abstract

Summary A new virus isolated from the lungs of rats is prevalent in colony reared and wild rats and induces a fatal pneumonitis in newborn rats. The virus, designated as rat coronavirus (RCV), exhibits properties representative of the coronavirus group: characteristic surface structure, particles somewhat variable in size averaging approximately 90 mμ, apparent RNA content, essential lipid, heat sensitivity, and a close serologie relationship with the mouse hepatitis virus complex. RCV grows well in primary rat kidney cell cultures, exhibits a pathognomonic type CPE, and produces a complement fixing antigen which is sensitive for detection of antibody and useful in sero-epidemiologic studies.