[Avian coronaviroses: Characteristics of epidemiological interest, in comparative medicine]

Coronavirus disease in veterinary medicine has been known since 1931 and is the cause of one of the most damaging diseases in poultry farming: avian infectious bronchitis (BIA). The characteristics most useful for the study of epidemiology are presented, in particular the very strong mutagenicity and the seasonality of infections with this virus. The control programs are based on numerous biosecurity measures applied as much to prevent viruses from spreading from sources of infection: biocontainment measures, as to measures to prevent contamination of uninjured herds: bioexclusion measures The control of avian coronaviruses is based mainly on vaccinations and because of the very strong mutagenic power of the virus, a race is regularly underway, to succeed in matching the different viruses frequently appearing in farms and vaccine viruses. This also obliges us to adapt each time and region by region the pool of vaccines used and the vaccination programs used.