0 a type of virus that causes diseases in humans and animals. In humans, it usually causes respiratory infections (= in the nose, throat, or chest) that are not serious, but can sometimes cause more serious infections that can kill people: --
Torovirus particles share characteristics with other members of the coronavirus family; they are round, pleomorphic, enveloped viruses about 120 to 140 nm in diameter.
Clinically, the intestinal form of the infection can sometimes be confused with coronavirus or other forms of enteritis.
Canine coronavirus was originally thought to cause serious gastrointestinal disease, but now most cases are considered to be very mild or without symptoms.
However, fatal intestinal disease associated with canine coronavirus without the presence of canine parvovirus is still occasionally reported.
Feline coronavirus is typically shed in feces by healthy cats and transmitted by the fecal-oral route to other cats.
Blood tests can also be performed to bolster a presumptive diagnosis by looking for coronavirus antibodies and elevated protein.
A more serious complication of canine coronavirus occurs when the dog is also infected with canine parvovirus.
Understanding the molecular mechanisms of genome selection and packaging is critical for developing antiviral strategies and viral expression vectors based on the coronavirus genome.
