title: Epstein-Barr virus (HHV-4) inoculation to rabbits by intranasal and oral routes results in subacute and/or persistent infection dissimilar to human disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report the infection of New Zealand white rabbits with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
  
  
  METHODS
  EBV prepared in B95-8 (producer) cells was inoculated to rabbits by combined intranasal and oral routes. Blood and white blood cell (WBC) samples were taken before infection, then on days 8, 28 and 98 post-infection (p.i.).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of either 3 × 10(8) (group A, 11 rabbits) or 1 × 10(9) (group B, 10 rabbits) EBV DNA copies per animal induced subacute and/or persistent infection. The IgG antibodies in plasma were detected by ELISA as well as by immunoblot (IB). The IB bands showed mainly antibodies to the BZRF1/Zta transactivation polypeptide (69.2%), the p54 early protein (53.4%) and to the p23 capsid protein (35.8%). No anti-EBNA1 antibody was detected throughout. Viral DNA could be detected by PCR in WBCs and/or spleen of 7 out of 21 infected rabbits (30%), while 60-80% of them showed serologic response. The transiently present EBV DNA was accompanied by LMP1 antigen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rabbits developed persistent EBV infection in the absence of EBNA1 antibodies and by the lack of typical infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome. The absence of EBNA1 antibody may reflect the lack of EBNA1 in B cells of EBV-inoculated rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Research Triangle Europe Research Center, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary.
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rajčáni
authors.forename: Kalman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szenthe
authors.forename: Vladimira
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Durmanová
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Balazs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asványi
authors.forename: Ervin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pitlik
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stipkovits
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szathmary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000473:pathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G