Betacoronavirus 1 in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in the High Peruvian Andes

L Luna; P E Brandão; L Maturrano; R Rosadio; F D F Silva; R M Soares; F Gregori

doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.10.019

Betacoronavirus 1 in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in the High Peruvian Andes

Small Rumin Res. 2015 Dec:133:7-9. doi: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.10.019. Epub 2015 Oct 24.

Authors

L Luna¹, P E Brandão¹, L Maturrano², R Rosadio², F D F Silva¹, R M Soares¹, F Gregori¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, CEP 05508-270 São Paulo, Brazil.
² Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Avenida Circunvalación 2800, San Borja, Lima, Peru.

Abstract

Genetic sequences highly related to Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) were detected in fecal samples from Peruvian 1-3 week old alpaca crias located on six farms in Puno department, some of which shared pastures with cattle. A total of 60 samples were screened for coronavirus using a nested PCR amplification of a fragment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Sequences from 11 positive samples were highly similar to the Kakegawa, Quebec and Mebus BCoV strains (99.5-100.0%) and 99.2% identical to an alpaca Coronavirus (CoV) previously detected in the USA. The detection of genetic sequences related to BCoV from Peruvian alpaca crias suggests possible role of this virus on enteric disorders etiology in the High Andes.

Keywords: Alpaca crias; BCoV-like coronavirus; Peruvian High Andes.