Cutaneous lesions in pet rabbits following subcutaneous administration of a novel bivalent vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease. Issue 6 (16th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Selleri, Paolo; Di Girolamo, Nicola; Vögtlin, Andrea; Fileccia, Ivan; Hoop, Richard; Bongiovanni, Laura
• Is Part Of: Veterinary dermatology. Volume 25:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 563
• Page End: e100
• Publication Date: 2014-09-16
• Subjects: Veterinary dermatology -- Periodicals; Pet medicine -- Periodicals; 636.08965
• DOI: 10.1111/vde.12165
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-4493

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="vde12165-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>A novel bivalent vaccine to protect against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease is commercially available for pet rabbits.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Hypothesis/Objectives</title> <p>To describe the appearance of cutaneous lesions arising in pet rabbits positive for myxoma virus (MV) by RT‐PCR evaluation shortly after vaccination.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Animals</title> <p>Four pet rabbits presenting with papular, crusting skin lesions ~10 days after vaccination.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Histological evaluation of formalin‐fixed skin biopsies obtained from lesional skin (case 1). Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) evaluation of paraffin‐embedded tissue from skin biopsies (case 1) and crusts obtained from the lesion surface (cases 2–4) for myxoma virus are reported as cycle threshold (<italic>C</italic><sub>t</sub>) values.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Lesions affecting the ear pinna, dorsal aspect of the nose, vulva and/or conjunctiva are reported. Histopathological findings included severe ulcerative, necrotizing dermatitis and intralesional cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in myxoma cells. DNA was amplified from all the paraffin‐embedded skin biopsies (<italic>C</italic><sub>t</sub> = 34–35) and crusts (<italic>C</italic><sub>t</sub> = 20–24).</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12165-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and clinical importance</title> <p>Although a wild virus challenge cannot be definitively excluded, veterinarians and pet‐owners should be aware that cutaneous lesions have been observed after vaccination with this novel vaccine in low numbers of rabbits.</p> </sec> </abstract>