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. 2021 Dec;10(1):1-7.
doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1868951.

Susceptibility of rabbits to SARS-CoV-2

Anna Z Mykytyn  1 , Mart M Lamers  1 , Nisreen M A Okba  1 , Tim I Breugem  1 , Debby Schipper  1 , Petra B van den Doel  1 , Peter van Run  1 , Geert van Amerongen  2 , Leon de Waal  2 , Marion P G Koopmans  1 , Koert J Stittelaar  2 , Judith M A van den Brand  3 , Bart L Haagmans  1
Affiliations

Susceptibility of rabbits to SARS-CoV-2

Anna Z Mykytyn et al. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) between livestock and humans is a potential public health concern. We demonstrate the susceptibility of rabbits to SARS-CoV-2, which excrete infectious virus from the nose and throat upon experimental inoculation. Therefore, investigations on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed rabbits should be considered.

Keywords: COVID-19; Rabbit; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; susceptibility; transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Rabbit ACE2-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus (A) and authentic virus (B) infection of Cos-7 cells transfected with ACE2 of various species. Infectivity was quantified by staining live virus with anti-SARS-CoV nucleocapsid and scanning live virus and pseudovirus infected cells. (C) Confocal imaging of ACE2-mediated live virus infection; cells were stained using anti-human ACE2 in green, anti-SARS-CoV nucleocapsid in red and TO-PRO3 in blue to stain nuclei. Scale indicates 50 µm. n.d. = not detected. Error bars depict SEM.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Susceptibility of rabbits to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infection kinetics of (A) viral RNA and (B) authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus growth curves from rabbits inoculated with 106 TCID50 and followed up for 21 days. (C–E) Viral RNA growth curved in rabbits inoculated with either (C) 106, (D) 105, or (E) 104 TCID50 and followed up for four days post infection. (F) Viral RNA in lung and nasal turbinates of 106 TCID50 infected rabbits, sacrificed after four days. The RNA detection limit was 3.5 × 10−1 RNA copies/mL, while the live virus detection limit is 12.5 TCID50/mL. Error bars depict SEM. n = 3.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Histological analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infected rabbits. Histopathological analysis of rabbits inoculated with 106 TCID50, sacrificed after four days. (A) Alveolar thickening and inflammatory infiltrates. Scale indicates 100 µm (B) Enlarged, syncytial cells in the alveolar lumina. Scale indicates 20 µm. (C) Lung pathology overview. Arrow indicates thickening and asterisk bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). Scale indicates 200 µm. (D) Eosinophilic infiltrates in the nose. Scale indicates 40 µm.
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Grants and funding

This work was supported by Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development [grant number 10150062010008]; PPP Allowance [grant number LSHM19136].