“Runde“ virus, a coronavirus-like agent associated with seabirds and ticks

From 206I. uriae collected in the seabird colonies at Runde, Norway, two identical virus strains demonstrating no antigenic relationships to major arbovirus groups were isolated. The new strains demonstrated a corona-virus like morphology, haemagglutinated chicken red cells and were sensitive to sodium desoxycholate. Multiplication with CPE was demonstrated in BHK 21/c13 and BSC-1 cells, and without CPE in Vero and GMK cell cultures. The mouse pathogenicity was relatively low. In gel precipitation three to five specific lines were seen. Precipitating antibodies have been found in seabird species commonly infested byI. uriae. The ecological circumstances of the isolates indicate an earlier unrecognized arbovirus circulating between seabirds andI. uriae. This corona-like virus has been tentatively termed Runde virus.