Since the first Lagovirus detection in the 80s, Lagoviruses affecting rabbits and hares have evolved along two independent genetic lineages namely GI, and GII. These lineages include the etiological agents of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHDV) affecting rabbits and the European brown hare syndrome (EBHSV) affecting hares. Genetic recombination between rabbit caliciviruses and unknown viruses belonging to the Caliciviridae family has led to a new lagovirus, called RHDV2_Bg12, affecting a European hare in Italy. Therefore, because RHDV2 (GI.2) infects several lagomorphs, which in turn probably harbour several specific nonpathogenic lagoviruses, the possibility of new recombinations and thus speciation process is real.

This research, recently issued in Virus Research, has been carried out in collaboration with the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia, Brescia (Italy). More information here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168170223002198

 

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Recombination between non structural and structural genes as mechanisms of selection in lagoviruses