Abstract
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an acute fatal disease caused by the
lagovirus rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), which was first
reported in 1984 in China. Strains of two different genotypes (GI.1a and
GI.1c) have been detected in China to date. In 2010, a new RHDV variant
with a unique genetic and antigenic profile was identified in France,
designated RHDV2, which rapidly spread throughout continental Europe and
nearby islands. Here, we report the first outbreak of RHD induced by
RHDV2 (GI.2) in rabbit farms in the Sichuan province of China. We
conducted hemagglutination tests and phylogenetic analysis of the new
RHDV isolate SC2020/04, which was identified as a non-hemagglutinating
strain belonging to the RHDV2 (GI.2) genogroup. Considering the serious
risk of RHDV2 to the Chinese rabbit industry, the circulation of RHDV2
in the population should be carefully monitored in China.