Differentiation of canine coronavirus and porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus by neutralization with canine, porcine and feline sera

Monospecific antisera were prepared in rabbits against canine coronavirus (CCV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus of pigs (TGEV), and in 24 pigs and 3 cats against TGEV alone. Neutralizing antibody titres were higher for the immunizing than the heterologous virus, although cross-neutralization usually was detected. This confirmed that CCV and TGEV are distinct, but antigenically related coronaviruses. In sera from 41 dogs, CCV-neutralizing titres were on average 2.7 fold higher than TGEV-neutralizing titres, suggesting that CCV was the causal agent. Sera from 29 cats in colonies with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and known to contain TGEV-neutralizing antibody, were found to have titres 12.3 fold higher against CCV. The FIP virus (FIPV) is probably more closely related to CCV than TGEV as judged by antigens involved in virus neutralization. Antisera to two isolates of bovine coronavirus, three isolates of haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus, seven strains of avian infectious bronchitis virus and the 229E strain of human coronavirus all failed to neutralize CCV and TGEV. Thus CCV, TGEV and probably FIPV fall into a group of antigenically related agents, separable from other members of the family Coronaviridae, by both virus neutralization and immunofluorescence tests.