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Spillover Events of Infection of Brown Hares ( Lepus europaeus ) with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Type 2 Virus ( RHDV 2) Caused Sporadic Cases of an European Brown Hare Syndrome‐Like Disease in Italy and Spain
Author(s) -
Velarde R.,
Cavadini P.,
Neimanis A.,
Cabezón O.,
Chiari M.,
Gaffuri A.,
Lavín S.,
Grilli G.,
GavierWidén D.,
Lavazza A.,
Capucci L.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
transboundary and emerging diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.392
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1865-1682
pISSN - 1865-1674
DOI - 10.1111/tbed.12562
Subject(s) - disease , biology , virus , european rabbit , virology , medicine , pathology , population , environmental health
Summary Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus ( RHDV ) is a lagovirus that can cause fatal hepatitis (rabbit haemorrhagic disease, RHD ) with mortality of 80–90% in farmed and wild rabbits. Since 1986, RHDV has caused outbreaks in rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) in Europe, but never in European brown hares ( Lepus europaeus , EBH ). In 2010, a new RHDV ‐related virus, called RHDV 2, emerged in Europe, causing extended epidemics because it largely overcame the immunity to RHDV present in most rabbit populations. RHDV 2 also was identified in Cape hare ( Lepus capensis subsp. mediterraneus ) and in Italian hare ( Lepus corsicanus ). Here, we describe two distinct incidents of RHDV 2 infection in EBH that occurred in Italy (2012) and Spain (2014). The two RHDV 2 strains caused macroscopic and microscopic lesions similar to European brown hare syndrome ( EBHS ) in hares, and they were genetically related to other RHDV 2 strains in Europe. EBH s are common in Europe, often sharing habitat with rabbits. They likely have been exposed to high levels of RHDV 2 during outbreaks in rabbits in recent years, yet only two incidents of RHDV 2 in EBH s have been found in Italy and Spain, suggesting that EBH s are not a primary host. Instead, they may act as spillover hosts in situations when infection pressure is high and barriers between rabbits and hares are limited, resulting in occasional infections causing EBHS ‐like lesions. The serological survey of stocked hare sera taken from Italian and Spanish hare populations provided an understanding of naturally occurring RHDV 2 infection in the field confirming its sporadic occurrence in EBH . Our findings increase the knowledge on distribution, host range and epidemiology of RHDV 2.