Isolation and Genetic Characterization of a Bovine Coronavirus KBR-1 Strain from Calf Feces in South Korea

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) causes severe diarrhea in neonatal calves, winter dysentery in adult cattle, and respiratory disease in feedlot cattle, resulting in economic losses. A total of 16/140 calf diarrheic feces samples collected in South Korea between 2017 and 2018 were positive for BCoV. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete spike and hemagglutinin/esterase genes revealed that the 16 Korean BCoV strains belonged to group GIIa along with Korean strains isolated after 2000, whereas Korean BCoV strains isolated before 2000 belonged to group GI. Mice and goats inoculated with an inactivated KBR-1 strain (isolated from this study) generated higher antibody titers (96 ± 13.49 and 73 ± 13.49, respectively) when mixed with the Montanide01 adjuvant than when mixed with the Carbopol or IMS1313 adjuvants. Viral antigens were detected in the large intestine, jejunum, and ileum of calves inoculated with inactivated KBR-1 vaccine (10(4.0) TCID(50)/mL) at 14 days of post-challenge (DPC). However, no viral antigens were detected in calves vaccinated with a higher dose of inactivated KBR-1 strain (10(6.0) TCID(50)/mL) at 14 DPC, and they had high antibody titers and stable diarrhea scores. Currently, the group GIIa is prevalent in cows in South Korea, and although further research is needed in the future, the recently isolated KBR-1 strain has potential value as a new vaccine candidate.