[Morphology of coronaviruses-- electron microscopic demonstration by negative contrast technic of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine].

This contribution to the morphology of corona virus is based on the use of electron microscopy in a negative contrast investigation of the virus of transmissible gastroenteritis of swine. Viruses of transmissible gastro-enteritis are spherical or, in rare cases, pleomorphous particles of typical corona virus structure. The viruses investigated by the authors were 132 nm in diameter. The surface projections, consisting of a flattened knob and conical shaft, are 18 nm in length. Internal bodies, 50 +/- 2 nm in diameter, occur as "filled" or "empty" particles. The thickness of all internal bodies and virus membranes is 8 +/- 1 nm. Differences were found to exist between virus of transmissible gastro-enteritis and particles similar to corona virus and isolated from faecal samples. A first comparison had been made for that purpose. Those differences were relating to shape and size of individual particles and to morphological setup of surface projections.