Detection and Characterization of New Coronavirus in Bottlenose Dolphin, United States, 2019

Abstract

We characterized novel coronaviruses detected in US bottlenose dolphins (BdCoVs) with diarrhea. These viruses are closely related to the other 2 known cetacean coronaviruses, Hong Kong BdCoV and beluga whale CoV. A deletion in the spike gene and insertions in the membrane gene and untranslated regions were found in US BdCoVs (unrelated to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).

Keywords

• coronavirus
• viruses
• detection
• genetic characterization
• bottlenose dolphin
• zoonoses