Potential role of wolf (Canis lupus) as passive carrier of European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV). (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Di Profio, Federica; Melegari, Irene; Sarchese, Vittorio; Robetto, Serena; Bermudez Sanchez, Sandra; Carella, Emanuele; Orusa, Riccardo; Cavadini, Patrizia; Lavazza, Antonio; Marsilio, Fulvio; Martella, Vito; Di Martino, Barbara
• Is Part Of: Research in veterinary science. Volume 117(2018)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 84
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Calicivirus -- EBHSV -- Wolf -- Faecal swab; Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine vétérinaire -- Périodiques; Médecine vétérinaire -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Diergeneeskunde; 636.089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.11.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-5288

Abstract

Abstract: European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) was detected in a faecal swab collected from a wolf carcass in Northern Italy. The full-length genome of the EBHSV WOLF/17/2016/ITA strain was determined. In the VP60 capsid gene, the wolf strain displayed the highest genetic identity (99.2–99.1% nucleotide and 99.6–99.7% amino acid) with two EBHSV strains recently found in the intestinal content of a red fox and in the spleen and liver of a hare in Northern Italy. This finding poses interrogatives on the potential role of carnivores as EBHSV passive carriers, favoring the introduction and spread of the virus among different hare populations. Highlights: EBHSV was detected in a faecal swab of a wolf found dead in Northern Italy. The full-genome of the strain EBHSV/WOLF/17/2016/ITA was determined. The highest identity was found to Italian EBHSVs detected in fox and hare in 2015. Hare DNA was detected in the wolf intestinal content. The role of wolf as EBHSV passive carrier was hypothesized.