| Hedgehog coronavirus 1 | |
|---|---|
Virus classification  | |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Riboviria |
| Kingdom: | Orthornavirae |
| Phylum: | Pisuviricota |
| Class: | Pisoniviricetes |
| Order: | Nidovirales |
| Family: | Coronaviridae |
| Genus: | Betacoronavirus |
| Subgenus: | Merbecovirus |
| Species: | Betacoronavirus erinacei [1] |
Hedgehog coronavirus 1 is a mammalian Group C Betacoronavirus , a positive-sense RNA virus, discovered in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from Germany and first described in 2014. [2]
Most Betacoronavirus clade c viruses are known from bats. The hedgehog is in the animal order Eulipotyphla, which is phylogenetically related to the bats, Chiroptera, so the researchers investigated faecal samples to look for coronaviruses.
The virus was found in the highest concentrations in the lower gastrointestinal tract.
All hedgehog merbecoviruses identified in both the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and Amur hedghog (Erinaceus amurensis) utilize host Amino peptidase N as a viral entry receptor. [3]
