Nature Medicine10, 368 - 373 (2004)
Published online: 21 March 2004; | doi:10.1038/nm1024
Identification of a new human coronavirus
Lia van der Hoek1, Krzysztof Pyrc1, Maarten F Jebbink1, Wilma Vermeulen-Oost2, Ron J M Berkhout2, Katja C Wolthers1, Pauline M E Wertheim-van Dillen3, Jos Kaandorp4, Joke Spaargaren2
& Ben Berkhout1
1
Department of Human Retrovirology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2
Public Health Laboratory, Municipal Health Service, Nieuwe Achtergracht 100, 1018 WT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
3
Department of Medical Microbiology/Clinical Virology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Three human coronaviruses are known to exist: human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), HCoV-OC43 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Here we report the identification of a fourth human coronavirus, HCoV-NL63, using a new method of virus discovery. The virus was isolated from a 7-month-old child suffering from bronchiolitis and conjunctivitis. The complete genome sequence indicates that this virus is not a recombinant, but rather a new group 1 coronavirus. The in vitro host cell range of HCoV-NL63 is notable because it replicates on tertiary monkey kidney cells and the monkey kidney LLC-MK2 cell line. The viral genome contains distinctive features, including a unique N-terminal fragment within the spike protein. Screening of clinical specimens from individuals suffering from respiratory illness identified seven additional HCoV-NL63-infected individuals, indicating that the virus was widely spread within the human population.
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