RESUMO
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.
Assuntos
Infecções por Caliciviridae/veterinária , Lebres , Vírus da Doença Hemorrágica de Coelhos/fisiologia , Animais , Anticorpos Monoclonais/sangue , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Infecções por Caliciviridae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Caliciviridae/genética , Infecções por Caliciviridae/virologia , Citocromos b/genética , Citocromos b/metabolismo , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/genética , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/metabolismo , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/veterinária , Vírus da Doença Hemorrágica de Coelhos/genética , Vírus da Doença Hemorrágica de Coelhos/metabolismo , Itália/epidemiologia , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , Análise de Sequência de Proteína/veterinária , Proteínas Estruturais Virais/genética , Proteínas Estruturais Virais/metabolismoRESUMO
Since summer 2010, numerous cases of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) have been reported in north-western France both in rabbitries, affecting RHD-vaccinated rabbits, and in wild populations. We demonstrate that the aetiological agent was a lagovirus phylogenetically distinct from other lagoviruses and which presents a unique antigenic profile. Experimental results show that the disease differs from RHD in terms of disease duration, mortality rates, higher occurrence of subacute/chronic forms and that partial cross-protection occurs between RHDV and the new RHDV variant, designated RHDV2. These data support the hypothesis that RHDV2 is a new member of the Lagovirus genus. A molecular epidemiology study detected RHDV2 in France a few months before the first recorded cases and revealed that one year after its discovery it had spread throughout the country and had almost replaced RHDV strains. RHDV2 was detected in continental Italy in June 2011, then four months later in Sardinia.