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Low viral doses are sufficient to infect cottontail rabbits with avian influenza A virus

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Abstract

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) have been reported in wild lagomorphs in environments where they share resources with waterfowl. Recent studies have conclusively shown that a North American lagomorph, cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus sp.), become infected following exposure to IAVs and can shed significant quantities of virus. However, the minimum infectious dose and the efficiency of various routes of infection have not been evaluated. Thirty-six cottontail rabbits were used in a dose response study assessing both the oral and nasal routes of infection. The nasal route of infection proved to be the most efficient, as all cottontail rabbits shed viral RNA following inoculation with doses as low as 102 EID50. The oral route of infection was less efficient, but still produced infection rates of ≥ 50% at relatively low doses (i.e., 103 and 104 EID50). These results suggest that cottontail rabbits are highly susceptible to IAVs at low exposure doses that have been routinely observed in environments contaminated by waterfowl. Furthermore, this study supports earlier observations that cottontail rabbits may pose a biosecurity risk to poultry operations, as a virus-contaminated water source or contaminated environment, even at low viral titers, could be sufficient to initiate viral replication in cottontail rabbits.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) animal care staff for excellent assistance. The opinions and conclusions of this article are those of the authors and do necessarily represent those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mention of commercial products herein is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement or censure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Department of Agriculture, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 La Porte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    J. Jeffrey Root, Susan A. Shriner, Jeremy W. Ellis, Kaci K. VanDalen & Heather J. Sullivan

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  1. J. Jeffrey Root
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  2. Susan A. Shriner
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  3. Jeremy W. Ellis
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  4. Kaci K. VanDalen
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  5. Heather J. Sullivan
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Correspondence to J. Jeffrey Root.

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This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Root, J.J., Shriner, S.A., Ellis, J.W. et al. Low viral doses are sufficient to infect cottontail rabbits with avian influenza A virus. Arch Virol 162, 3381–3388 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-017-3493-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-017-3493-z

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