Detection of the new emerging rabbit haemorrhagic disease type 2 virus (RHDV2) in Sicily from rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

Res Vet Sci. 2014 Dec;97(3):642-5. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2014.10.008. Epub 2014 Oct 16.

Abstract

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a member of the genus Lagovirus, causes rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), a fatal hepatitis of rabbits, not previously reported in hares. Recently, a new RHDV-related virus emerged, called RHDV2. This lagovirus can cause RHD in rabbits and disease and mortality in Lepus capensis (Cape hare). Here we describe a case of RHDV2 infection in another hare species, Lepus corsicanus, during a concurrent RHD outbreak in a group of wild rabbits. The same RHDV2 strain infected rabbits and a hare, also causing a RHD-like syndrome in the latter. Our findings confirmed the capability of RHDV2 to infect hosts other than rabbits and improve the knowledge about the epidemiology and the host range of this new lagovirus.

Keywords: Host susceptibility; Lagovirus RHDV2; Lepus corsicanus; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Rabbit haemorrhagic disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Caliciviridae Infections / pathology
  • Caliciviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Caliciviridae Infections / virology
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / veterinary*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / virology
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary*
  • Hares / virology*
  • Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / genetics
  • Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / isolation & purification*
  • Liver / virology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Phylogeny
  • Rabbits / virology*
  • Sicily / epidemiology
  • Species Specificity
  • Trachea / pathology

Substances

  • DNA Primers