Detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus neutralising antibody in cats

High titres of neutralizing activity to transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a porcine coronavirus, were found in sera and peritoneal fluids from cats infected with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). A small proportion of cats, from a hospital population unaffected by FIP, also had neutralising activity. Procedures to remove non-specific viral inhibitors, including treatment by heat inactivation, trypsin, sulphydryl reagent and kaolin absorption were unsuccessful. The active component was unable to neutralise another porcine coronavirus, haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus or the porcine enterovirus, Talfan. Gel filtration of feline sera and peritoneal fluid demonstrated high levels of the neutralising activity in the area corresponding to 7S IgG, which could be removed by absorption with specific anti-IgG serum and these properties are suggested to be consistent with those of antibody. These findings imply that there is a coronavirus in cats which is antigenically related to TGEV and its possible nature is discussed.