Replication of a bovine coronavirus in organ cultures of foetal trachea

A strain of bovine coronavirus (BC) adapted to tissue culture, was inoculated into organ cultures of bovine foetal trachea. Haemagglutinin in the fluid from infected organ cultures reached titres of 32 and characteristic coronavirus particles were observed electron microscopically. BC virus antigen was detected in frozen sections of the organ cultures by staining with fluorescent antibody. These data were evidence that BC virus replicated in organ cultures of respiratory tissue. The use of this technique for primary isolation of bovine coronaviruses from field material is discussed.