Poster and abstract presented at the ESVV - 8th International Congress of Veterinary Virology – August 2009 – Budapest - Hungary.Coronaviruses (CoV), members of the family Coronaviridae, are large, enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses, responsible for disease in several species of mammals and birds. Clinical signs are usually enteric or respiratory, but can also be systemic. Presently they are classified into three different antigenic groups. Group 1 includes both canine (CCoV) and feline coronaviruses (FCoV) and group 2 includes the recently recognized canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV). CCoV has been further classified into two genotypes, I and II, the first with high genetic similarity with FCoV. Both genotypes are responsible for the occurrence of enteritis in dogs, which can be fatal when associated in mixed infections with canine parvovirus (CPV), especially in younger dogs. FCoV have different classifications according to genotype and biotype. Due to their serological and genomic features FCoVs are classified as types I and II, where type I is strictly feline while type II resulted from a recombination event between FCoV and CCoV. FCoVs can be further classified into two biotypes. The enteric biotype (FECV) is present ubiquitously in cat populations, causing mild diarrhoea. FECV shedding can be transient, recurrent, or chronic over periods of months or years. The other recognized biotype of FCoV causes a lethal disease, feline infectious peritonitis (FIPV). This form with higher virulence results from genomic mutations consistently found in the 3c gene and only develops in a small percentage of animals, usually during primary infection and in kittens. The emergence of human coronavirus (SARS) has incited renewed interest in coronaviruses, and serological and virological investigations have reported worldwide presence and prevalence of these viruses in both domestic, as well as in free-roaming stray or feral dogs and cats. This knowledge is especially relevant in kennel and animal shelters. To investigate the genomic diversity of FCoV and CCoV in Lisbon’s Municipal kennel, a virological survey was conducted which included canine distemper virus, canine and feline parvovirus, canine and feline coronavirus, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus. All coronavirus positive samples were further characterized to assess the presence of different FCoV and CCoV genotypes within the animal population.