Genetically Diverse Coronaviruses in Wild Bird Populations of Northern England

Abstract

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes a costly respiratory viral disease of chickens. The role of wild birds in the epidemiology of IBV is poorly understood. We detected diverse coronaviruses by PCR in wildfowl and wading birds in England. Sequence analysis showed some viruses to be related to IBV.

Keywords

• Coronavirus
• infectious bronchitis
• IBV
• wild birds
• viruses
• zoonoses