Disorders induced by the experimental infection of pigs with the porcine respiratory coronavirus (P.R.C.V.).

Five colostrum deprived hysterectomy-derived piglets were inoculated by the intratracheal route with a Porcine Respiratory Coronavirus (PRCV). The clinical effects and growth performances were compared with those in 5 similar piglets which were inoculated with Minimum Eagle Medium only. A transient hyperthermia, mild to severe dyspnoea, polypnoea and an obvious cessation of growth were recorded on infected pigs only whereas the control group did not show any adverse reaction after inoculation. The reasons for the variability of effects of experimental infection observed in previous trials, are discussed.