title: Cutaneous lesions in pet rabbits following subcutaneous administration of a novel bivalent vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A novel bivalent vaccine to protect against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease is commercially available for pet rabbits.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the appearance of cutaneous lesions arising in pet rabbits positive for myxoma virus (MV) by RT-PCR evaluation shortly after vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four pet rabbits presenting with papular, crusting skin lesions ~10 days after vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histological evaluation of formalin-fixed skin biopsies obtained from lesional skin (case 1). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) evaluation of paraffin-embedded tissue from skin biopsies (case 1) and crusts obtained from the lesion surface (cases 2-4) for myxoma virus are reported as cycle threshold (Ct ) values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesions affecting the ear pinna, dorsal aspect of the nose, vulva and/or conjunctiva are reported. Histopathological findings included severe ulcerative, necrotizing dermatitis and intralesional cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in myxoma cells. DNA was amplified from all the paraffin-embedded skin biopsies (Ct  = 34-35) and crusts (Ct  = 20-24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a wild virus challenge cannot be definitively excluded, veterinarians and pet-owners should be aware that cutaneous lesions have been observed after vaccination with this novel vaccine in low numbers of rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Clinica per Animali Esotici, Centro Veterinario Specialistico, Via Sandro Giovannini 53, 00145, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Selleri
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vögtlin
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fileccia
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoop
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bongiovanni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D017929:Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / Q000276:immunology*; D009233:Myxoma virus / Q000276:immunology*; D009234:Myxomatosis, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000821:virology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014765:Viral Vaccines