Clinical and pathologic findings in an outbreak in rabbits of natural infection by rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 in the northwestern United States

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) causes an often-fatal disease of rabbits that has resulted in outbreaks in rabbitries in Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia. RHD has historically been characterized as a foreign animal disease in the United States. In July 2019, RHDV2 was detected in rabbits on Orcas Island along the northwestern coast of Washington (WA) State following reports of deaths in multiple feral and domestic rabbits. We document and highlight here the unique clinical presentation and gross and histologic lesions observed in this recent WA outbreak. Affected rabbits died without premonitory signs or displayed hyporexia and/or lethargy for ≤1 d prior to death. The most consistent pathologic finding was random, multifocal hepatocellular necrosis, often with concurrent multifocal-to-diffuse splenic necrosis. The lack of significant clinical signs in conjunction with the random distribution of hepatic necrosis in the WA outbreak contrasts with previous reports of RHDV2 disease progression.     

Codon optimization of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) capsid gene leads to increased gene expression in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is contagious and highly lethal. Commercial vaccines against RHD are produced from the livers of experimentally infected rabbits. Although several groups have reported that recombinant subunit vaccines against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) are promising, application of the vaccines has been restricted due to high production costs or low yield. In the present study, we performed codon optimization of the capsid gene to increase the number of preference codons and eliminate rare codons in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells. The capsid gene was then subcloned into the pFastBac plasmid, and the recombinant baculoviruses were identified with a plaque assay. As expected, expression of the optimized capsid protein was markedly increased in the Sf9 cells, and the recombinant capsid proteins self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) that were released into the cell supernatant. Rabbits inoculated with the supernatant and the purified VLPs were protected against RHDV challenge. A rapid, specific antibody response against RHDV was detected by an ELISA in all of the experimental groups. In conclusion, this strategy of producing a recombinant subunit vaccine antigen can be used to develop a low-cost, insect cell-derived recombinant subunit vaccine against RHDV.     

云南省楚雄州部分地区猪瘟血清学调查

为了解楚雄州部分地区的猪瘟免疫情况,利用酶联免疫法(ELISA)对楚雄市、南华县和禄丰县随机采取的393份血清进行猪瘟抗体检测,并对各县(市)的调查数据加以比较,了解猪瘟在楚雄州部分地区的免疫情况。结果显示,楚雄州部分地区均有较高的猪瘟抗体阳性率,各县(市)的猪瘟抗体阳性率都在80%以上,有的县(市)猪瘟抗体甚至达到了100%。说明楚雄州部分地区的猪瘟免疫效果较好,猪瘟免疫成功。     

Outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 in the southwestern United States: first detections in southern California

An outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2)-associated disease occurred in the southwestern United States following its first detection in New Mexico in March 2020. The disease spread throughout several states and was diagnosed for the first time in California on May 11, 2020, in a black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). The following day, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) issued an order banning the entrance into California of several lagomorph species and their products from any state in which the disease had been detected in the last 12 mo. RHDV2 is a threat to wild lagomorph species in California, including the endangered riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius). Therefore, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) started tracking any mortality event in wild lagomorph populations. As of August 9, 2020, RHDV2 had been detected in wild and domestic lagomorphs of several counties in southern California that were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory system by the CDFA or the CDFW. These positive cases included 2 additional black-tailed jackrabbits and 3 desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii). In addition, the infection spilled over to domestic populations, whereby it was confirmed on July 10, 2020, in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).     

兔出血病病毒RT-PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用

为快速检测兔出血病病毒,参照RHDV-TP株VP60基因序列(GenBank Ac-ession AF453761),在其5′端设计一对引物,扩增片段为386 bp,建立了检测兔出血病病毒的RT-PCR检测方法。经过对反应参数的优化,确定了反应的最佳条件。该方法在含多种已知病原的病料中,可特异性检出RHDV,检测病料的最高稀释度为10-5倍,且有很好的稳定性。临床样品检测结果显示,该方法的敏感性要高于血凝抑制试验,从而建立了RHDV特异、敏感的RT-PCR检测技术,可应用于RHDV临床诊断及流行病学调查。     

TaqMan MGB探针实时检测兔病毒性出血症病毒

应用荧光定量PCR技术,根据兔病毒性出血症病毒的保守基因VP60设计了1对引物和1段Taqman MGB探针,建立了用于检测兔病毒性出血症病毒的实时荧光定量RT-PCR方法。试验中能够检出的RHDV VP60基因质粒拷贝数达103数量级,能够检测到RHDV病毒核酸最低量可以达到5 pg,未检出其他病原的RNA。试验结果表明,建立的TaqMan MGB探针实时荧光定量RT-PCR方法的特异性、敏感性、重复性均达到试验设计要求,能快速检测临床样品中的兔病毒性出血症病毒,适合于兔各脏器及肌肉组织中兔病毒性出血症病毒的快速诊断和检测。     

Antibody responses to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus in predators, scavengers, and hares in New Zealand during epidemics in sympatric rabbit populations

AIM: To test for antibodies to rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus (RHDV) in sera from mammals and birds associated with rabbit populations infected with RHDV. METHODS: Sera from feral and domestic cats, feral ferrets, stoats, hedgehogs, hares, harrier hawks, and black-backed gulls were taken (apart from some of the hares) from areas in New Zealand where RHD was active among rabbit populations. The presence of antibodies to RHD was investigated using a competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Some individual animals of all species were seropositive. Thirty eight of 71 feral cats, but only 1/80 domestic cats were seropositive at a 1:40 dilution. The latter had not been exposed to RHDV. Also reactive in the ELISA were 2/8 stoats; 11/115 ferrets, with significantly more females having antibodies than males; 4/73 hedgehogs; 2/18 hawks, and 1/30 gulls. Three of 66 hares, comprising 3/14 from one population, were seropositive. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from the hares, all these species are known to prey upon rabbits or scavenge their carcasses, a possible means of exposure to RHDV. The possibility that the positive test reactions were due to cross-reactions with other caliciviruses cannot be ruled out, especially for the hares. Nor could the study differentiate whether the positive results were due to an antigenic reaction to ingestion of RHDV, as suggested by overseas work, or to infection of new species by RHDV. These possibilities are being investigated further.     

Immunohistological diagnosis of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD).

In the present study the diagnostic use of a biotinylated serum from an immune rabbit was investigated by means of an Avidin-Biotin-Complex (ABC)-Peroxidase method on paraffin sections. 15 cases of RHD which had been verified histologically and/or by haemagglutination test (HA), 4 suspected cases and 3 cases without history of RHD were included (cases 1 to 22). From 5 prospective cases a wider tissue range was examined (cases 23 to 25 and 29 to 30). Furthermore lungs, liver and placenta of 3 fetuses from a RHD affected dam were investigated (cases 26 to 28). The 20 typical cases had intense intranuclear and diffuse intracytoplasmic immunostaining of hepatocytes, predominantly in the periportal areas. In some cases there was also positive staining of macrophages in the lungs (4 cases), spleen (4 cases) and in lymph nodes (1 case). Positive granular staining in the renal mesangial cells of the glomeruli was observed in 1 case. No positive staining was observed in the 3 negative cases. In contrast to other reports (4), crossreactivity of these antigens to Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) could not be confirmed. Furthermore the RHD virus (RHDV) seems not to crossreact with Feline and Bovine Parvoviruses.     

No virus replication in domestic cats fed with RHDV-infected rabbit livers

Previous studies have shown that feral cats (Felis catus) from rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) epidemic areas in New Zealand had antibodies against RHD Virus (RHDV) and RHDV RNA was identified by nested RT-PCR from one seropositive feral cat liver. To assess whether RHDV replicates and produces clinical consequences in cats following the consumption of RHDV-infected rabbit, a challenge trial was conducted by feeding cats RHDV-infected rabbit livers. Antibodies against RHDV were detected by immunoassay from sera of cats collected 10 days after the consumption of RHDV-infected livers. Animals fed four times with RHDV-infected livers, had higher antibody titres than animals fed only once. RHDV RNA was detected by nested RT-PCR from mesenteric lymph nodes, tonsil, spleen and liver of cats fed with RHDV-infected livers. RHDV anti-genomic RNA was also detected by nested RT-PCR from mesenteric lymph nodes collected from one animal 2 days after the fourth feed. RHDV was detected by antigen ELISA from cat faeces 1-2 days after the consumption of RHDV-infected livers. Even though a large amount of RHDV has been used, cats did not show any signs of disease. Although abortive RHDV replication could not be ruled out, active RHDV replication was not demonstrated.     

RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE VIRUSES DETECTED IN PET RABBITS IN A COMMERCIAL LABORATORY IN EUROPE

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an important cause of disease and mortality in wild and domestic European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) throughout the world. Testing for 2 distinct RHD virus types (RHDV/RHDVa and RHDV2) was carried out on samples collected from 684 rabbits submitted from veterinary practices and private owners throughout Europe between January 2015 and June 2017. Four (0.6%) were positive for RHDV/RHDVa and 257 (37.4%) were positive for RHDV2. RHDV/RHDVa was detected in individual samples from Germany and the Netherlands, while RHDV2 was found in animals from Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, and Finland.     

家兔暴发病毒性出血症的病理学诊断

对送检的9只家兔进行病理解剖,对心血、肝、脾及肠系膜淋巴结进行细菌分离培养,并选取心、肝、脾、肺等组织按常规病理制片进行病理组织学检查,应用免疫组化染色(ABC法)检测肝细胞内兔病毒性出血症病毒(RHDV)抗原,结果证实此次家兔自然暴发的传染病即是兔病毒性出血症(RHD)。其临床主要表现为最急性型及急性型,病理变化特点以全身微循环障碍为主;DIC形成,以实质器官淤血、水肿、出血、变性、坏死为主要特点,其中以肝、肾、脾等器官病变较重,尤其肝脏的病变具有特征性。综合病理学检测结果,确定此次家兔暴发的是RHD。     

1例兔出血症病毒2型感染疫情的诊断

旨在了解河南疑似兔出血症病毒2型(RHDV2)的感染情况,并对RHDV2的致病性进行初步分析。本研究采集病死兔的肝组织,利用微量血凝试验、RT-PCR扩增及测序、VP60基因系统进化树分析和动物回归试验进行病原鉴定。微量血凝试验结果显示,组织样本悬液能够凝集人“O”型血红细胞;RT-PCR扩增、测序及序列分析结果显示,检测到RHDV2特异性条带,片段大小为829 bp;系统进化树分析结果发现,分离的病毒与我国四川发现的首例RHDV2毒株SC2020/04的VP60基因相似性高达98.2%;临床病例的剖检显示病死兔胸腺、气管、肺、肝、脾、肾等实质性器官出血较为严重;动物回归试验发现攻毒组家兔死亡率为100%,平均死亡时间为65.8 h,RT-PCR扩增均检测到RHDV2特异性条带。本研究首次在河南兔场检测到RHDV2,为RHDV2的防控提供了科学参考。     

Outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease in domestic lagomorphs

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) was diagnosed in domestic lagomorphs on a rabbit farm in Illinois. Clinical signs of RHD in affected rabbits included signs of depression, anorexia, fever, paddling, convulsions, and sudden death. Findings of necropsies and histologic evaluations of specimens of liver and spleen were indicative of RHD. In liver specimens obtained from dead rabbits, RHD viral antigen was detected via hemagglutination assay and viral antigen-detection ELISA. The source of the outbreak was traced to a rabbitry in Utah. As the disease spread, the outbreak involved rabbits in various regions of the United States; > 4,800 rabbits were euthanatized and buried as a result of the depopulation effort in several states. The economic impact of the disease can be considerable; if the disease is suspected, it is imperative that the appropriate state or federal veterinarian's office be contacted immediately.     

兔出血症病毒衣壳蛋白VP60与兔肝脏细胞中相互作用蛋白的初步筛选

为鉴定兔出血症病毒(RHDV)在感染兔肝脏过程中与肝细胞膜表面相互作用的靶蛋白,本研究利用SMART文库构建技术构建了兔肝脏细胞的真核表达cDNA重组质粒文库,将其转染SP2/0细胞,经嘌呤霉素筛选表达兔肝细胞蛋白的阳性SP2/0细胞.以RHDV-VP60蛋白作为固相包被抗原,经筛选,获得能够与VP60蛋白相互结合的表达性阳性SP2/0细胞克隆.测序表明26个克隆与兔的一些功能性蛋白有较高的同源性,其中包括代谢酶类13个、免疫信号通路受体蛋白5个以及其他细胞膜蛋白等.本研究鉴定的与RHDV VP60具有结合性的细胞蛋白为RHDV感染机制的研究奠定了基础.     

Comparative analysis of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and new RHDV2 virus antigenicity,using specific virus-like particles

In 2010 a new Lagovirus related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) emerged in France and has since rapidly spread throughout domestic and wild rabbit populations of several European countries. The new virus, termed RHDV2, exhibits distinctive genetic, antigenic and pathogenic features. Notably, RHDV2 kills rabbits previously vaccinated with RHDV vaccines. Here we report for the first time the generation and characterization of RHDV2-specific virus-like particles (VLPs). Our results further confirmed the differential antigenic properties exhibited by RHDV and RHDV2, highlighting the need of using RHDV2-specific diagnostic assays to monitor the spread of this new virus.     

Emergence of a new lagovirus related to Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus

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.     

中国首例兔出血症病毒2型(RHDV2/b/GI.2)的鉴定及病理学观察

本试验旨在鉴定四川金堂某兔场疑似兔出血症病毒2型（RHDV2）感染疫情的病原,并分析病兔的病理组织学变化。利用血凝试验和RT-PCR检测病死兔内脏组织中的病原,取病变组织制作病理切片,观察分析各组织的病理组织学变化,同时应用病兔肝脏悬液感染幼兔,分析该毒株的致病力。血凝试验结果显示,所采集病死兔肝脏样品能凝集人"O"型血红细胞;RT-PCR扩增及测序结果显示,多对引物均能从样品中扩增出RHDV2特异性条带;病理组织学观察结果显示,病兔多脏器严重出血、肿胀,淋巴细胞和中性粒细胞大量浸润,气管黏膜、肝脏、肺脏出血尤为严重;动物试验结果显示,该毒株毒力较强,含毒肝脏悬液能在24 h内迅速致死幼兔。本研究经临床诊断、核酸检测及测序证实了此次疫情确由RHDV2感染引起,动物试验和病理组织学观察表明该毒株毒力较强,可引发脏器严重出血,造成病兔急性死亡,RHDV2的出现提示病毒的跨境传播情况不容乐观,应引起更大的重视。