Cargando…

Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa

SIMPLE SUMMARY: For more than 35 years, lagomorphs, which include rabbits and hares, have been severely affected by hemorrhagic disease viruses, such as the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Rabbits are important host species in the ecosystem, as they are prey of many species in the wild, are...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Ben Chehida, Faten, Lopes, Ana M., Côrte-Real, João V., Sghaier, Soufien, Aouini, Rim, Messadi, Lilia, Abrantes, Joana
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8471427/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34571760
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10090883
_version_ 1784574462634491904
author Ben Chehida, Faten
Lopes, Ana M.
Côrte-Real, João V.
Sghaier, Soufien
Aouini, Rim
Messadi, Lilia
Abrantes, Joana
author_facet Ben Chehida, Faten
Lopes, Ana M.
Côrte-Real, João V.
Sghaier, Soufien
Aouini, Rim
Messadi, Lilia
Abrantes, Joana
author_sort Ben Chehida, Faten
collection PubMed
description SIMPLE SUMMARY: For more than 35 years, lagomorphs, which include rabbits and hares, have been severely affected by hemorrhagic disease viruses, such as the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Rabbits are important host species in the ecosystem, as they are prey of many species in the wild, are reared for meat production in several countries, and are kept as pets. Molecular characterization of RHDV has been key to detecting multiple introductions of this virus into Africa. Continued monitoring and control of the rabbit trade is assuming particular importance in containing the disease and reducing the socio-economic impact of outbreaks in Africa while rabbits are being promoted for poverty reduction programs. ABSTRACT: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) causes high mortality and morbidity in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In Africa, the presence of the causative agent, the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), was first confirmed in 1992 (genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.1). In 2015, the new genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 (RHDV2/b) was detected in Tunisia. Currently, GI.2 strains are present in several North and Sub-Saharan African countries. Considerable economic losses have been observed in industrial and traditional African rabbitries due to RHDV. Like other RNA viruses, this virus presents high recombination rates, with the emergence of GI.2 being associated with a recombinant strain. Recombination events have been detected with both pathogenic (GI.1b and GII.1) and benign (GI.3 and GI.4) strains. We obtained complete genome sequences of Tunisian GI.2 strains collected between 2018 and 2020 and carried out phylogenetic analyses. The results revealed that Tunisian strains are GI.3P-GI.2 strains that were most likely introduced from Europe. In addition, the results support the occurrence of multiple introductions of GI.2 into Africa, stressing the need for characterizing complete genome sequences of the circulating lagoviruses to uncover their origin. Continued monitoring and control of rabbit trade will grant a better containment of the disease and reduce the disease-associated economic losses.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-8471427
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2021
publisher MDPI
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-84714272021-09-28 Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa Ben Chehida, Faten Lopes, Ana M. Côrte-Real, João V. Sghaier, Soufien Aouini, Rim Messadi, Lilia Abrantes, Joana Biology (Basel) Communication SIMPLE SUMMARY: For more than 35 years, lagomorphs, which include rabbits and hares, have been severely affected by hemorrhagic disease viruses, such as the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Rabbits are important host species in the ecosystem, as they are prey of many species in the wild, are reared for meat production in several countries, and are kept as pets. Molecular characterization of RHDV has been key to detecting multiple introductions of this virus into Africa. Continued monitoring and control of the rabbit trade is assuming particular importance in containing the disease and reducing the socio-economic impact of outbreaks in Africa while rabbits are being promoted for poverty reduction programs. ABSTRACT: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) causes high mortality and morbidity in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In Africa, the presence of the causative agent, the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), was first confirmed in 1992 (genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.1). In 2015, the new genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 (RHDV2/b) was detected in Tunisia. Currently, GI.2 strains are present in several North and Sub-Saharan African countries. Considerable economic losses have been observed in industrial and traditional African rabbitries due to RHDV. Like other RNA viruses, this virus presents high recombination rates, with the emergence of GI.2 being associated with a recombinant strain. Recombination events have been detected with both pathogenic (GI.1b and GII.1) and benign (GI.3 and GI.4) strains. We obtained complete genome sequences of Tunisian GI.2 strains collected between 2018 and 2020 and carried out phylogenetic analyses. The results revealed that Tunisian strains are GI.3P-GI.2 strains that were most likely introduced from Europe. In addition, the results support the occurrence of multiple introductions of GI.2 into Africa, stressing the need for characterizing complete genome sequences of the circulating lagoviruses to uncover their origin. Continued monitoring and control of rabbit trade will grant a better containment of the disease and reduce the disease-associated economic losses. MDPI 2021-09-08 /pmc/articles/PMC8471427/ /pubmed/34571760 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10090883 Text en © 2021 by the authors. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Communication
Ben Chehida, Faten
Lopes, Ana M.
Côrte-Real, João V.
Sghaier, Soufien
Aouini, Rim
Messadi, Lilia
Abrantes, Joana
Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title_full Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title_fullStr Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title_short Multiple Introductions of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 in Africa
title_sort multiple introductions of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus lagovirus europaeus/gi.2 in africa
topic Communication
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8471427/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34571760
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10090883
work_keys_str_mv AT benchehidafaten multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT lopesanam multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT corterealjoaov multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT sghaiersoufien multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT aouinirim multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT messadililia multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica
AT abrantesjoana multipleintroductionsofrabbithemorrhagicdiseaseviruslagoviruseuropaeusgi2inafrica