Transmissible gastroenteritis virus infection: a vanishing specter |
| |
Authors: | Schwegmann-Wessels C Herrler G |
| |
Institution: | Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover. |
| |
Abstract: | About twenty years ago, a new coronavirus, porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCoV), was detected in swine herds. This virus is related to transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV); however, it is not enteropathogenic but causes only minor respiratory symptoms. As PRCoV shares some epitopes for neutralizing antibodies with TGEV, it acts like a nature-made vaccine against TGEV resulting in a drastic reduction of TGE outbreaks in Europe. A major difference between the two porcine coronaviruses is a large deletion in the surface protein S gene of PRCoV. Because of this structural difference, TGEV but not PRCoV has a sialic acid binding activity that allows the attachment to mucins and mucin-type glycoproteins. The sialic acid binding activity may allow TGEV to overcome the mucus barrier in the gut and to get access to the intestinal epithelium for initiation of infection. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|