The non-pathogenic Australian lagovirus RCV-A1 causes a prolonged infection and elicits partial cross-protection to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus.
Two caliciviruses occur in Australian wild rabbits: rabbit calicivirus Australia 1 (RCV-A1) and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), which is used in Australia as a biocontrol agent to reduce feral rabbit populations. There is concern that RCV-A1 acts as a natural vaccine and protects from lethal RHDV infection. To investigate this hypothesis, domestic rabbits were perorally infected with RCV-A1, monitored for 28 days and subsequently challenged with RHDV. We show that RCV-A1 causes a non-pathogenic infection and is shed in faeces for up to 7 days post-infection. RCV-A1 was detected in the bile 2 months post-inoculation, indicating a prolonged or possible persistent infection. All animals infected with RCV-A1 developed antibodies cross-reacting to RHDV. When challenged with RDHV, half of the rabbits (n=4) survived the infection. The results indicate that RCV-A1 is likely to persist in rabbit populations and can elicit partial cross-protection to lethal RHDV infection.
Strive
T
T
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra, Australia. tanja.strive@csiro.au
Wright
J
J
Kovaliski
J
J
Botti
G
G
Capucci
L
L
D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001646:Bile / Q000821:virology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000821:virology; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000821:virology; D006321:Heart / Q000821:virology; D017929:Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / Q000276:immunology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011817:Rabbits; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology