Co-circulation of widely disparate strains of Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus could explain localised epidemicity in the United Kingdom.

Forrester, N. L.; Boag, B.; Buckley, A.; Moureau, G.; Gould, E. A.. 2009 Co-circulation of widely disparate strains of Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus could explain localised epidemicity in the United Kingdom. Virology, 393. 42-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.07.008

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.07.008

Abstract/Summary

Serum and liver samples collected monthly, during 2005, from healthy wild rabbits at a site in Pitroddie, Scotland, were analysed by ELISA and RT-PCR sequencing. Sera collected in January and February had high antibody titres against RHDV. However, during the rabbit breeding season average antibody titres were lower but increased again as the year progressed. Between March and August, RHDV-specific RNA was detected in healthy rabbits spanning a wide range of age and antibody titres. Importantly, two virus lineages were identified; a novel widely divergent strain, recovered between March and August, and a strain related to UK epidemic strains, was recovered between May and July from juvenile rabbits. We propose that a non-virulent widely divergent strain of RHDV circulated asymptomatically amongst the wild rabbits potentially inducing immunity against the introduced epidemic strain that predominantly causes high fatality rates in young immunologically naïve rabbits.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.07.008
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 2 - Ecological Processes in the Environment
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Hails
ISSN:	0042-6822
Additional Keywords:	Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, co-circulation, epidemiology
NORA Subject Terms:	Biology and Microbiology
Date made live:	14 Apr 2010 08:35 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/9225

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.07.008

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 2 - Ecological Processes in the Environment

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Hails

ISSN:

0042-6822

Additional Keywords:

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, co-circulation, epidemiology