Emerging Infectious Diseases of Rabbits

Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2020 May;23(2):249-261. doi: 10.1016/j.cvex.2020.01.008.

Abstract

Recently, multiple infectious organisms have been identified as the cause of emerging diseases in lagomorphs. The most important of these emerging diseases is rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) type 2, a new variant with differences in pathogenicity to classical RHDV. Hepatitis E is considered an emerging zoonotic infectious disease, with widespread prevalence in many different rabbit populations. Mycobacteriosis has been recently reported in other captive domestic rabbit populations. This article provides a recent review of the published literature on emerging infectious diseases in rabbits, including farmed, laboratory, and pet rabbits, some of which have zoonotic potential.

Keywords: Hepatitis E; Mycobacterium; Parvovirus; Picornavirus; Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus; Zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Caliciviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / veterinary*
  • Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / isolation & purification
  • Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / pathogenicity
  • Hepatitis E / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis E / veterinary*
  • Humans
  • Mycobacterium Infections / epidemiology
  • Mycobacterium Infections / veterinary*
  • Parvoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Parvoviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Picornaviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Picornaviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Rabbits
  • Zoonoses