Lagovirus europeus GI.2 (rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2) infection in captive mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in Germany

• Published in: BMC Veterinary Research
• Main Authors: Buehler, Melanie, Jesse, Sonja T., Kueck, Heike, Lange, Bastian, Koenig, Patricia, Jo, Wendy K., Osterhaus, Albert, Beineke, Andreas
• Other Authors: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2020
• Subjects: General Veterinary; General Medicine; Lepus timidus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02386-4; https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12917-020-02386-4.pdf; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-020-02386-4/fulltext.html

Abstract Background Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV, Lagovirus europeus GI.1) induces a contagious and highly lethal hemorrhagic disease in rabbits. In 2010 a new genotype of lagovirus (GI.2), emerged in Europe, infecting wild and domestic population of rabbits and hares. Case presentation We describe the infection with a GI.2 strain, “Bremerhaven-17”, in captive mountain hares ( Lepus timidus ) in a zoo facility in Germany. Postmortem examination revealed RHD-like lesions including necrotizing hepatitis. RT-qPCR and AG-ELISA confirmed presence of GI.2. Recombination and phylogenetic analysis grouped the identified strain with other GI.2 strains, sharing nucleotide identity of 91–99%. Conclusion Our findings confirm that mountain hares are susceptible to GI.2 infection, due to a past recombination event facilitating virus spillover from sympatric rabbits .