Characterization and Identification of a
novel Coronavirus and
Association with Respiratory Symptoms in Alpacas
Beate M. Crossley, DVM
California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory
Davis, CA
$13,500
9/1/08-8/31/09
This project evaluates the epidemiological association between a novel Coronavirus and the acute respiratory syndrome (ARS) in alpacas. In 2007 a respiratory disease was noticed starting at the east coast moving west and rumors linked outbreaks of ARS to attendance at certain shows and events. As part of an intensive follow up on several alpacas with clinical signs of ARS that were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, a Coronavirus was isolated from lung tissue of an alpaca submitted for necropsy. Though this work is preliminary and the recovered Coronavirus has only been isolated from a single case to date, additional diagnostic investigation and epidemiologic follow up are vital to our understanding and will aid in the ability to diagnosis respiratory diseases in alpacas in the future. Comparison of the genome sequence of the virus isolated from lung with that of the Coronavirus that causes diarrheal disease in alpacas is of special interest due to proposed efficacy trials of bovine coronavirus vaccines for use in alpacas. Information that would support a challenge study to fulfill Kochs postulate for establishing a causal proof between the Coronavirus and respiratory syndrome would be a critical outcome of the current work.