1. Identification and partial characterisation of a new lagovirus in Australian wild rabbits
- Author
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Strive, T., Wright, J.D., and Robinson, A.J.
- Subjects
- *
RABBIT calicivirus disease , *VIRUS identification , *VIRUS diseases in rabbits , *CROSS reactions (Immunology) , *ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay , *CALICIVIRUS infections in animals - Abstract
Abstract: Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) is widely used in Australia to control feral rabbit populations. Before RHDV was released on the Australian continent in 1996, antibodies cross-reacting in RHDV specific ELISAs were found in Australian wild rabbits, leading to the hypothesis that a non-pathogenic calicivirus had been circulating in rabbit populations in Australia, potentially providing some level of cross-immunoprotection to RHDV infection. For the detection of this putative virus, a universal lagovirus PCR test was developed to screen a variety of different tissues of wild caught rabbits. We identified a new lagovirus in the intestinal tissues of three apparently healthy young wild rabbits. Quantitative Real Time PCR analysis revealed high concentrations of viral RNA in intestinal tissues and suggests a faecal-oral mode of transmission. Genome organisation and phylogenetic analysis following the sequencing of the entire viral genome revealed a new member of the genus Lagovirus within the family Caliciviridae. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
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