title: Detection of RHDV strains in the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis): earliest evidence of rabbit lagovirus cross-species infection.
abstract: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a highly lethal Lagovirus, family Caliciviridae, that threatens European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Although a related virus severely affects hares, cross-species infection was only recently described for new variant RHDV in Cape hares (Lepus capensis mediterraneus). We sequenced two strains from dead Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) collected in the 1990s in Portugal. Clinical signs were compatible with a Lagovirus infection. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete capsid gene positioned them in the RHDV genogroup that circulated on the Iberian Peninsula at that time. This is the earliest evidence of RHDV affecting a species other than European rabbits.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Paulo C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Pendu
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: Gertrude
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abrantes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034621:Hares; D017929:Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C081149:viral protein 60, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus; D045303:Cytochromes b