Coronaviruses were recognized as a group of enveloped, RNA viruses in 1968 and accepted by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses as a separate family, the Coronaviridae, in 1975. By 1978, it had become evident that the coronavirus genomic RNA was infectious (i. e., positive strand), and by 1983, at least the framework of the coronavirus replication strategy had been per ceived. Subsequently, with the application of recombinant DNA techniques, there have been remarkable advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of coronaviruses, and a mass of structural data...

Coronaviruses and arteriviruses have emerged as major virus families relevant in ani mal and human health. The order Nidovirales, which includes the Coronaviridae and Ar teriviridae, was recognized by the International Committee for the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) in 1996 based on the striking features common to the two virus families. In accord ance with this decision, the organizers of the coronavirus meeting, held every three years since 1980, invited colleagues working with both virus families to attend the VIIth Interna tional Symposium on Coronaviruses and Arteriviruses, held in Segovia,...