RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE VIRUSES DETECTED IN PET RABBITS IN A COMMERCIAL LABORATORY IN EUROPE

摘要

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an important cause of disease and mortality in wild and domestic European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) throughout the world. Testing for 2 distinct RHD virus types (RHDV/RHDVa and RHDV2) was carried out on samples collected from 684 rabbits submitted from veterinary practices and private owners throughout Europe between January 2015 and June 2017. Four (0.6%) were positive for RHDV/RHDVa and 257 (37.4%) were positive for RHDV2. RHDV/RHDVa was detected in individual samples from Germany and the Netherlands, while RHDV2 was found in animals from Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, and Finland.