New rabbit disease - Rabbit Viral Hemorrhagic Disease Type 2

DOI10.33861/2071-8020-2021-2-37-39

Semikrasova A.N., Petrova I.V., Zhilina K.V.

Summary. Rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease is a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic rabbits. New rabbit disease - rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease type 2 (RHDV2) - was registered in the Russian Federation in October 2018 for the first time. Data on the results of laboratory research of a new virus, the study of clinical and pathological manifestations of this disease are presented in the article. The antigen and the RHDV2 gene were detected and identified when conducting the laboratory study of liver samples from dead rabbits delivered from the focus of the disease. The virus was isolated from susceptible animals and its molecular genetic analysis was carried out. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the VP 60 gene showed that the investigated isolate belongs to the RHDV2 subtype (RHDV-b or variant Gl.2 according to the new nomenclature). It has been established that not only domestic and wild rabbits, but also hares are susceptible to RHDV2. The virus is extremely resistant in the environment, making it easy to spread with any contaminated substrate. The virus is highly contagious and pathogenic, the mortality rate reaches 100%. Due to the rapid death of rabbits, clinical signs rarely develop, usually apparently healthy rabbits make several convulsive movements and, having emitted a squeak, die. Pathological examination reveals pulmonary edema, accumulation of foamy exudate in the trachea, flabbiness of the heart muscle, an increase in the size and blood filling of the liver, kidneys and spleen. RHDV vaccine does not protect against RHDV2, but double immunization with the usual inactivated monovaccine can prevent severe disease in most rabbits.

Keywords: rabbit, rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease, RHDV2, PCR, virus, RNA, diagnostics, clinical signs, pathological changes, contagiousness.

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Author affiliation:

Petrova Irina V., Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine, senior scientific researcher of the Scientific Research Institute of Fur-Bearing Animal Breeding and Rabbit Breeding named after V.A. Afanasyev; 6, Trudovaya st., Rodniki sttl., Ramensky district, Moscow region, 140143; phone: 8-496-4648681; e-mail: niipzk@mail.ru.

Zhilina Kseniya V., junior scientific researcher of the Scientific Research Institute of Fur-Bearing Animal Breeding and Rabbit Breeding named after V.A. Afanasyev; 6, Trudovaya st., Rodniki sttl., Ramensky district, Moscow region, 140143; phone: 8-496-4648681; e-mail: niipzk@mail.ru.

Responsible for correspondence with the editorial board: Semikrasova Alla N., Ph.D. in Biology, leading scientific researcher of the Scientific Research Institute of FurBearing Animal Breeding and Rabbit Breeding named after V.A. Afanasyev; 6, Trudovaya st., Rodniki sttl., Ramensky district, Moscow region, 140143; phone: 8-496-4648681; e-mail: niipzk-vet@mail.ru.