[Demonstration of coronavirus infection in buffaloes].

The hemagglutination-inhibition test and a bovine corona virus antigen were used to investigate a total of 293 samples of buffalo sera, of which 152 were taken from buffalo calves at the age of up to 12 months and 141 were taken from buffalo cows at the age of between 18 and 30 months. Corona virus antibodies were proven in 52.6 per cent of the sera of buffaloes originating from 3 cooperative farms and a number of private farms. The antibodies in the sera of buffalo calves had an average geometric titer of 182, and those in the sera of buffalo cows--74. The parallel study of 40 of the sera revealed a correlation between the hemagglutination inhibiting and the neutralizing antibodies. Twenty-nine fecal samples from buffalo calves with diarrhea, aged 5 to 30 days, were also studied via hemagglutination-inhibition on the same public farms. Corona virus of high titers was demonstrated in 7 of the samples, the hemagglutination activity of which had been suppressed by a bovine corona virus antiserum. It was concluded that a hemagglutinating coronavirus was circulating among the buffaloes. It seemed to be analogous to the bovine coronavirus and to participate in the etiology of part of the enteritis cases in growing buffalo calves.