Susceptibility of hares and rabbits to the European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) under experimental conditions.

Abstract

The European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) and the rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHDV) virus were inoculated in hares and rabbits to discover whether the homologous and heterologous host could be infected. The aims were to confirm the results of previous studies that showed the existence of antigenic differences between these two viruses, and also to define the role attributed to the hare in transmission to rabbits of a disease, EBHS, initially mistaken for RHD. During the trials, clinical symptoms and pathological lesions were noted, and virological and serological analysis were conducted, using specific tests set up for both diseases. The hares infected with EBHSV died of an acute form of EBHS, whereas the rabbits remained healthy. The low serological response in these rabbits towards the EBHSV did not protect them against RHDV. Similarly, hares inoculated with RHDV remained healthy and showed a low anti-RHDV antibody titre but died when challenged with EBHSV.