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Hu B, Dong W, Song Y, Fan Z, Cavadini P, Wang F. Detection of a New Recombinant Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 in China and Development of Virus-like Particle-Based Vaccine. Viruses 2025; 17:710. [PMID: 40431721 PMCID: PMC12116138 DOI: 10.3390/v17050710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2025] [Revised: 04/30/2025] [Accepted: 05/07/2025] [Indexed: 05/29/2025] Open
Abstract
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a very virulent virus of the genus Lagovirus causing severe and fatal hepatitis in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). RHDV has two distinct genotypes: GI.1 (RHDV) and GI.2 (RHDV2). The first RHDV2/GI.2 strain was identified as a recombinant virus between a non-pathogenic (GI.3P) and a pathogenic (GI.2) lagovirus, and the recombination is thought to have been a key mechanism in the emergence and evolution of RHDV2. Here, a new variant of RHDV2 was identified affecting domestic rabbits on Chinese farms, with a mortality rate of 70-80%. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nonstructural portion of this newly identified strain's genome clustered with the GI.1a variants. In contrast, the capsid gene shared the highest nucleotide identity of 97.9% with the North American GI.2 strains, suggesting a possible introduction in China of North American strains and recombination with the GI.1a strains circulating in China. We have produced a recombinant vaccine using the first Chinese GI.2 strain, SC2020/0401, by cloning the vp60 gene into a baculovirus expression vector. Virus-like particles (VLPs) were then produced in Sf9 insect cells, and a challenge study was performed. Rabbits immunized with the VLP vaccine survived 7 d after being challenged with the new virus. The results indicate that commercial vaccines are urgently required in China to control the circulation of RHDV2 variants.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit/genetics
- Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit/isolation & purification
- Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit/classification
- Rabbits
- Caliciviridae Infections/veterinary
- Caliciviridae Infections/prevention & control
- Caliciviridae Infections/virology
- China
- Phylogeny
- Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/immunology
- Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/genetics
- Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/administration & dosage
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- Viral Vaccines/genetics
- Recombination, Genetic
- Genome, Viral
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Genotype
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biologicals Engineering and Technology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-Products, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China; (B.H.); (Y.S.); (Z.F.)
| | - Wenyu Dong
- College of Animal Science, Xizang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College, Linzhi 860000, China;
| | - Yanhua Song
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biologicals Engineering and Technology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-Products, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China; (B.H.); (Y.S.); (Z.F.)
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Zhiyu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biologicals Engineering and Technology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-Products, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China; (B.H.); (Y.S.); (Z.F.)
- College of Animal Science, Xizang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College, Linzhi 860000, China;
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Patrizia Cavadini
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Fang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biologicals Engineering and Technology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-Products, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China; (B.H.); (Y.S.); (Z.F.)
- College of Animal Science, Xizang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College, Linzhi 860000, China;
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou 225300, China
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Asin J, Calvete C, Uzal FA, Crossley BM, Duarte MD, Henderson EE, Abade dos Santos F. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2, 2010-2023: a review of global detections and affected species. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024; 36:617-637. [PMID: 39344909 PMCID: PMC11457751 DOI: 10.1177/10406387241260281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2/genotype GI.2 (RHDV2/GI.2; Caliciviridae, Lagovirus) causes a highly contagious disease with hepatic necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in several Leporidae species. RHDV2 was first detected in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in France in 2010 and has since spread widely. We gather here data on viral detections reported in various countries and affected species, and discuss pathology, genetic differences, and novel diagnostic aspects. RHDV2 has been detected almost globally, with cases reported in Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as of 2023. Since 2020, large scale outbreaks have occurred in the United States and Mexico and, at the same time, cases have been reported for the first time in previously unaffected countries, such as China, Japan, Singapore, and South Africa, among others. Detections have been notified in domestic and wild European rabbits, hares and jackrabbits (Lepus spp.), several species of cottontail and brush rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.), pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis), and red rock rabbits (Pronolagus spp.). RHDV2 has also been detected in a few non-lagomorph species. Detection of RHDV2 causing RHD in Sylvilagus spp. and Leporidae species other than those in the genera Oryctolagus and Lepus is very novel. The global spread of this fast-evolving RNA virus into previously unexploited geographic areas increases the likelihood of host range expansion as new species are exposed; animals may also be infected by nonpathogenic caliciviruses that are disseminated by almost all species, and with which genetic recombination may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Asin
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Calvete
- Animal Science Department, Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Agri-Food Institute of Aragón (IA2), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Francisco A. Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Eileen E. Henderson
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Fábio Abade dos Santos
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV), Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University, Lisboa, Portugal
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Yu J, Li Y, Xiao L, Xie J, Guo Z, Ye Y, Lin Y, Cao Y, Wu X, Mao C, Li X, Pan M, Ye J, Zhou L, Huang J, Yang J, Wei Y, Zhang X, Zhang B, Kang R. Neglected Spleen Transcriptional Profile Reveals Inflammatory Disorder Conferred by Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 Infection. Viruses 2024; 16:495. [PMID: 38675838 PMCID: PMC11054208 DOI: 10.3390/v16040495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an acute fatal disease caused by the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Since the first outbreaks of type 2 RHDV (RHDV2) in April 2020 in China, the persistence of this virus in the rabbit population has caused substantial economic losses in rabbit husbandry. Previous failures in preventing RHDV2 prompted us to further investigate the immune mechanisms underlying the virus's pathogenicity, particularly concerning the spleen, a vital component of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). For this, a previous RHDV2 isolate, CHN/SC2020, was utilized to challenge naive adult rabbits. Then, the splenic transcriptome was determined by RNA-Seq. This study showed that the infected adult rabbits had 3148 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were associated with disease, signal transduction, cellular processes, and cytokine signaling categories. Of these, 100 upregulated DEGs were involved in inflammatory factors such as IL1α, IL-6, and IL-8. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway, which may play a vital role in CHN/SC2020 infection. At the same time, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were significantly increased in the spleen at the late stages of infection. These findings suggested that RHDV2 (CHN/SC2020) might induce dysregulation of the cytokine network and compromise splenic immunity against viral infection, which expanded our understanding of RHDV2 pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifeng Yu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Yan Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (B.Z.)
| | - Lu Xiao
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Jing Xie
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Zhiqiang Guo
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Yonggang Ye
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Yi Lin
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Ye Cao
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xuejing Wu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Congjian Mao
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xingyu Li
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Meng Pan
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Jianqiang Ye
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Long Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (B.Z.)
| | - Jian Huang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (B.Z.)
| | - Junyan Yang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Yong Wei
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xianhui Zhang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
| | - Bin Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (B.Z.)
| | - Runmin Kang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu 610066, China; (J.Y.); (L.X.); (J.X.); (Z.G.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Y.C.); (X.W.); (C.M.); (X.L.); (M.P.); (J.Y.); (J.Y.); (Y.W.); (X.Z.)
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Li Y, Du D, Zhou L, Su L, You C, Zhang H, Yu J, Xiao L, Huang J. First report of GI.1aP-GI.2 recombinants of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus in domestic rabbits in China. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1188380. [PMID: 37520350 PMCID: PMC10382137 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1188380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2 or GI.2) is a highly contagious agent leading to lethal disease in rabbits. It frequently recombines with other Lagovirus genus, generating epidemical variants with high pathogenicity. In this study, twenty-two liver samples tested positive for GI.2 VP60 gene, were collected in rabbit farms from several geographical regions in China. All GI.2 positive specimens were submitted for RT-PCR detection, nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. In addition, suspected GI.2 recombinants were evaluated for virus virulence. The results showed that nine presumptive recombinants were identified by testing for RdRp-VP60 recombination. In these recombinants, four were selected to fully characterize the genome of novel GI.2 recombinant variants, which were described as GI.1aP-GI.2. The nucleotide sequence of these novel variants showed unique recombination pattern and phylogenetic features compared to currently prevalent GI.2 variants. Furthermore, this distinctive recombination of new variant SCNJ-2021 moderately enhanced the virulence of GI.2, even for rabbits vaccinated against parental GI.2. In conclusion, the novel GI.1aP-GI.2 recombinants were identified in rabbit industry in China for the first time, which expanded the knowledge on the phylodynamics and genomic diversity of GI.2 genotype. The rapid molecular evolution and varied pathogenicity of these virus recombinants highlight the urgent need for epidemiological surveillance and for future prevention of these neglected GI.2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Deyan Du
- Huapai Biological Group, Chengdu, China
| | - Long Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liyin Su
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chengcheng You
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huai Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jifeng Yu
- Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Xiao
- Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Chengdu, China
| | - Jian Huang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
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