Adult rabbits acquire resistance to lethal calicivirus infection by adoptive transfer of sera from infected young rabbits.

Abstract

Calicivirus infection of adult rabbits induces the so-called rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) that kills 90% or more of the infected animals; in contrast, young rabbits (up to 8-week-old animals) are resistant to the same infectious agent. We report that calicivirus inoculation of young rabbits induced moderate titres of antiviral antibodies. When these rabbits reached adulthood, a second calicivirus inoculation resulted in resistance to RHD and boosting of antibody titres in half of the rabbits. Adoptive transfer of sera from calicivirus-infected young rabbits to naïve adult rabbits conferred resistance to RHD. We conclude that calicivirus infection of young rabbits induces specific anti-calicivirus antibodies that will protect them from RHD when they reach adulthood.

• Authors: P G Ferreira, M Dinís, A Costa-E-Silva, A P Aguas
• Journal: Veterinary immunology and immunopathology (Vet Immunol Immunopathol) Vol. 121 Issue 3-4 Pg. 364-9 (Feb 15 2008) ISSN: 0165-2427 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 17980918 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Antigens, Viral

Topics

• Adoptive Transfer (veterinary)
• Animals
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Antigens, Viral (blood)
• Caliciviridae Infections (immunology, prevention & control, veterinary, virology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (veterinary)
• Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit (immunology)
• Rabbits (immunology)