Abstract
Lagovirus is an emerging genus of Caliciviridae, which includes the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) of rabbits and the European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) of hares that cause lethal hepatitis. In 2010, a new RHDV related virus (RHDV2) with a unique genetic and antigenic profile and lower virulence was identified in France in rabbits. Here we report the identification of RHDV2 as the cause in Sardinia of several outbreaks of acute hepatitis in rabbits and Cape hare (Lepus capensis mediterraneus). This is the first account of a lagovirus that causes fatal hepatitis in both rabbits and hares.
Highlights
Lagovirus is an emerging genus of Caliciviridae, which includes the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) of rabbits and the European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) of hares that cause lethal hepatitis
In all the hare livers, we confirmed the initial laboratory results that the lagovirus was present but, surprisingly, we again identified RHDV2 and not EBHSV. This conclusion was drawn from both the antigenic profile of the virus identified in the Cape hare group, which corresponded to RHDV2Ud11 (Hg line in Figure 2), and the high sequence correlation with the VP60 gene of RHDV2 (Figure 3)
The data revealed that the epidemic that affected rabbits and Cape hare in Sardinia during the autumn/winter 2011 was due to just one virus identified as RHDV2
Summary
28/03/2012 DOLIANOVA rabbits sampled before spring 2011 belong to the original RHDV, to the genogroup 5 [18]. In all the hare livers, we confirmed the initial laboratory results that the lagovirus was present but, surprisingly, we again identified RHDV2 and not EBHSV This conclusion was drawn from both the antigenic profile of the virus identified in the Cape hare group, which corresponded to RHDV2Ud11 (Hg line in Figure 2), and the high sequence correlation with the VP60 gene of RHDV2 (Figure 3). The data revealed that the epidemic that affected rabbits and Cape hare in Sardinia during the autumn/winter 2011 was due to just one virus identified as RHDV2 In light of this unexpected result, we performed genetic analyses, to confirm the identity of the host species on all the lagomorphs identified as Cape hares during necropsies. The genetic analyses confirmed that the RHDV2 positive lagomorphs were not rabbits but Sardinian Cape hares
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