European brown hare syndrome in the U.K.; a calicivirus related to but distinct from that of viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits

Abstract

The virus recovered from cases of European brown hare syndrome in the U.K. contains one major capsid protein of approximately 60 k molecular weight and morphologically resembles known caliciviruses. It has been compared with a European isolate of rabbit haemorrhagic disease calicivirus and, although it shows some antigenic similarity, it is not identical. In transmission and protection studies the virus from U.K. hares failed to produce disease in rabbits and did not effectively protect against subsequent challenge with the rabbit calicivirus.

Structural, antigenic and immunogenic relationships between European brown hare syndrome virus and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus.

“…Even when injected with a larger amount of rEBHSV, 300 µg of rEBHSV versus 100 µg of rRHDV (Laurent et al, 1994), rabbits vaccinated with rEBHSV particles were not protected against a virulent RHDV challenge. Previous crossprotection experiments, performed with native viruses, yielded quite different results, as a partial protection of EBHSVvaccinated rabbits against a RHDV challenge was reported (Chasey et al, 1992). It should be stressed that in our experimental protocol, rabbits were challenged with 1000 LD &!…”

“…The syndrome, a severe necrotic hepatitis, could affect up to 100 % of a hare population in which animals usually died within 48-72 h (Chasey et al, 1992). EBHSV is closely related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and the distinction between the two viruses was originally difficult to establish.…”

“…EBHSV is closely related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and the distinction between the two viruses was originally difficult to establish. They have the same morphology and affect animals within the Lagomorph family (Chasey et al, 1992). Both diseases are characterized by a high mortality rate and similar clinical signs corresponding to degeneration of hepatocytes and liver necrosis (Fuchs & Weissenbo$ ck, 1992).…”

“…tablished by using anti-RHDV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and polyclonal sera in a series of immunological assays (Capucci et al, 1991(Capucci et al, , 1995Chasey et al, 1992 ;Wirblich et al, 1994). Because of the similarity between the two viruses, crossspecies infection experiments were performed in order to test whether EBHSV and RHDV were two related but different viruses or two serotypes of the same virus.…”

“…Because of the similarity between the two viruses, crossspecies infection experiments were performed in order to test whether EBHSV and RHDV were two related but different viruses or two serotypes of the same virus. Results were controversial but most of the attempts to transmit the disease across species have failed to produce illness (Capucci et al, 1991 ;Chasey et al, 1992). A straightforward distinction between the two viruses was finally obtained by the determination of the RNA sequence of the EBHSV genome (Le Gall et al, 1996 ;Wirblich et al, 1994) and its comparison with available RHDV genome sequences (Meyers et al, 1991 b ;Rasschaert et al, 1995).…”