Novel Avian Coronavirus and Fulminating Disease in Guinea Fowl, France

Abstract

For decades, French guinea fowl have been affected by fulminating enteritis of unclear origin. By using metagenomics, we identified a novel avian gammacoronavirus associated with this disease that is distantly related to turkey coronaviruses. Fatal respiratory diseases in humans have recently been caused by coronaviruses of animal origin.

Keywords

• coronavirus
• guinea fowl
• metagenomics
• next-generation sequencing
• viruses
• France