Identification of a novel coronavirus from guinea fowl using metagenomics.

Abstract

While classical virology techniques such as virus culture, electron microscopy, or classical PCR had been unsuccessful in identifying the causative agent responsible for the fulminating disease of guinea fowl, we identified a novel avian gammacoronavirus associated with the disease using metagenomics. Next-generation sequencing is an unbiased approach that allows the sequencing of virtually all the genetic material present in a given sample.