In the last 20 years, three novel coronaviruses have emerged resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. While our recent experiences with SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 paint the picture of coronaviruses as an extreme threat to human health, the four other coronaviruses known to infect humans typically result in a milder respiratory illness often referred to as ‘the common cold’. These four human coronaviruses (OC43, NL63, 229E and HKU1) have a near global distribution with transmission occurring typically in winter months1. Large proportions of the population are exposed to these viruses on a regular basis, but immunity following infection is believed to be short-lived (possibly 6-12 months), and reinfections are likely contributing to the frequency of common cold-like illnesses people suffer2.

Although significant research surrounding the ongoing pandemic is focussed on SARS-CoV-2, access to isolates of seasonal coronaviruses can assist in multiple areas including understanding tissue tropism, replication dynamics, pathogenesis and assessing specificity of rapid diagnostics and point-of-care tests. Importantly, these seasonal coronaviruses are classified as ACDP HG2 viruses, whereas SARS-CoV-2 is a HG3 virus requiring specialist facilities in order to be work upon; access to similar lower-containment viruses that can be manipulated in standard laboratories may expediate the much needed development of diagnostics and therapeutics in addition to enhancing our understanding of this group of respiratory viruses.

NCPV have released three new accessions deposited by collaborators within PHE to assist the research community: OC43, NL63 and a second isolate of 229E (previously the only seasonal coronavirus in the NCPV collection). As these viruses are likely to be used in pandemic-response activities, NCPV are offering a 50% discount on the accession items listed below until the end of March 2021.

Human Coronavirus 229E 0310051v*

Human Coronavirus 229E 2008101v*

Human Coronavirus NL63 2008102v

Human Coronavirus OC43 2008103v

Seasonal coronavirus HKU1 is currently not within the NCPV collection. If you would like to deposit this virus in order to support the scientific community, we would be delighted to hear from you.

1. Su, S. et al. Epidemiology, Genetic Recombination, and Pathogenesis of Coronaviruses. Trends Microbiol.24, 490–502 (2016).

2. Edridge, A. et al. Seasonal coronavirus protective immunity is short-lasting. Nature medicine (2020). doi:10.1038/s41591-020-1083-1

The National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses is one of four Culture Collections of Public Health England. NCPV preserves well characterised authenticated human pathogenic viruses in a secure facility and is able to supply the agents, or nucleic acids derived from them, to the scientific community according to national and international guides.

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