Genetic Characterization of Coronaviruses from Domestic Ferrets, Japan

Abstract

We detected ferret coronaviruses in 44 (55.7%) of 79 pet ferrets tested in Japan and classified the viruses into 2 genotypes on the basis of genotype-specific PCR. Our results show that 2 ferret coronaviruses that cause feline infectious peritonitis–like disease and epizootic catarrhal enteritis are enzootic among ferrets in Japan.

Keywords

• coronaviruses
• ferret
• genotype
• Japan
• genetic characterization
• pets