IDENTIFICATION OF PICOBIRNAVIRUS, VIRUSES WITH BISEGMENTED DOUBLE-STRANDED-RNA, IN RABBIT FECES

Picobirnaviruses are a novel group of viruses recently found in the fa eces of several species of vertebrates, Examination by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of rabbit faecal samples collected in one animal f acility revealed the viruses in 23 (11 per cent) of 211 samples. Furth er analysis by electron microscopy and caesium chloride isopycnic cent rifugation confirmed the presence of picobirnaviruses in the samples. The oral inoculation of three newly weaned rabbits with purified virus resulted in the excretion of a virus with an electropherotype similar to the inoculum, by two of the three inoculated animals. Maximal vira l shedding was detected 13 days after inoculation. No sign of diarrhoe a was observed either in the inoculated animals or in thr virus excret ing animals surveyed. No antibody activity could be detected in the pa ired serum samples taken from the inoculated animals.