Viruses and virus‐like particles in the faeces of dogs with and without diarrhoea

Abstract

Negative staining electron microscopy was used to identify viruses in 157 normal and 29 diarrhoeal faecal samples collected from 156 dogs admitted to an animal shelter during an 8 month period (March to October) in 1982. Seven distinct viral types were detected: 21–26 nm parvovirus‐like particles, 28–31 nm astrovirus‐like particles, a previously undescribed 34–35 nm ‘round’ virus particle, coronavirus, coronavirus‐like particles (CVLP), rotavirus and papova‐like virus. Parvovirus‐like particles alone were detected in 14 diarrhoeal and 50 normal faeces, astrovirus‐like particles in 3 normal faeces, “round” viruses in 4 normal faeces, coronavirus in 2 diarhoeal and 5 normal faeces, CVLP in one..