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. 1970;31(3):293–302. doi: 10.1007/BF01253764

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

J C Parker 1, S S Cross 1, W P Rowe 2
PMCID: PMC7086756  PMID: 4099196

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.

Keywords: Hepatitis, Property Representative, Heat Sensitivity, Mouse Hepatitis Virus, Virus Complex

Footnotes

Supported by Public Health Service Contract No. SA-43-67-700 with the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., U.S.A.

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