The aim of this study was to develop a nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) for the rapid detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) of pigs. The primers were designed on the basis of highly conserved regions of several TGEV sequences included in the analysis. External primers were used to amplify a fragment of the expected size (441 bp) in all the samples evaluated using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), but with very low intensity. In the second amplification (nested PCR), internal primers were used to amplify a fragment of the expected size (168 bp), with good concentration. The performance of the test based on virus isolates in tissue culture and in clinical samples was judged good for the virological diagnosis of transmissible gastroenteritis of pigs.