Transmissible gastroenteritis virus infection: a vanishing specter.
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.
Schwegmann-Wessels
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Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover.
Herrler
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D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D000939:Epitopes; D005761:Gastroenteritis, Transmissible, of Swine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D005760:Transmissible gastroenteritis virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000939:Epitopes; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid