Risk assessment of bovine coronavirus

The Bovine coronavirus (BCoV or BCV) is a member of the species Betacoronavirus 1 in the family Coronaviridae. It is an enveloped virus with a non-segmented RNA genome of positive polarity. Bovine coronaviruses cause severe economic losses to global agriculture by causing gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases worldwide. cattle which are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. BCoV infection is frequently associated with three distinct clinical syndromes: neonatal diarrhea in calves, winter dysentery (hemorrhagic diarrhea) in adult animals, and respiratory infections as part of the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in cattle of various ages. BCoV can also be detected in the respiratory and digestive tracts of healthy animals. There is also evidence that BCoV causes persistent infections in animals. Transmission of the virus particles occurs via the fecal-oral and respiratory routes. Since BCoV virus particles are more stable at low ambient temperatures and reduced UV radiation, transmission and disease rates increase sharply during the winter months. BCoV infections in cattle have been confirmed on all continents, and global studies show that over 90% of cattle come into contact with the virus during their lifetime. BCoVs, like other coronaviruses, are capable of overcoming interspecies barriers. Genome variants of BCoV (also known as bovine-like CoVs) have been detected not only in cattle but also in other ruminants such as water buffalo, sheep, goats, dromedaries, llamas, alpacas, deer, wild cattle, antelopes, and giraffes. BCoV-like viruses have been found in both diarrheal and healthy wild ruminants. There are currently no reports of respiratory disease in wild animals following infection with BCoV-like viruses. In humans, only one BCoV variant has been detected so far, in a child with acute diarrhea. In the Technical Rules for Biological Agents (TRBA) 462: "Classification of Viruses," BCoV is therefore currently classified in risk group 1 with the index t2 (wild animal pathogen) in accordance with the Biological Agents Ordinance.

According to Section 5 (1) of the Genetic Testing Ordinance (GenTSV) in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 of the Genetic Testing Ordinance (GenTSV), the ZKBS classifies bovine coronavirus as a donor and recipient organism for genetic engineering work in risk group 2. BCoV is a globally occurring animal pathogen that causes diseases of the digestive tract and respiratory tract, particularly in cattle and other ruminants, and can thus lead to severe economic damage.

The ZKBS statement can be found at File number 45242.0191 can be retrieved.