Coronavirus-like particles as aetiological agents of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans.

The morphology of coronavirus-like particles found in faecal extracts of neonates and infants with acute gastroenteritis show similarities with the structure of human coronaviruses. These coronavirus-like particles can be detected in faeces of sick neonates and infants in higher frequency than in healthy children of the same age, their association with this clinical syndrome is discussed. The significance of enteric coronavirus-like particles in acute gastroenteritis of adults is questionable since the particles can be found in faeces of diseased persons and of healthy adults with equal frequency.