Shope Papillomavirus Spurs Wart Growths on U.S. Rabbits, Reviving a 1930s-Known Disease
Updated
Updated · gadgetreview.com · Jun 23
Shope Papillomavirus Spurs Wart Growths on U.S. Rabbits, Reviving a 1930s-Known Disease
3 articles · Updated · gadgetreview.com · Jun 23
Summary
Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York sightings of cottontail rabbits with dark, tentacle-like head growths have been traced to Shope papillomavirus, a rabbit-specific disease known since the 1930s.
The virus causes wart-like papillomas on the head, ears, neck and face; in severe cases, clustered growths can block eyes or mouths, and some lesions can turn into squamous cell carcinoma.
No human transmission has been documented, but domestic rabbits face higher risk because the virus spreads mainly through mosquitoes, ticks and fleas and can be more prone to malignant change in pets.
Wildlife agencies say most infected cottontails survive and the growths can regress, while owners are advised to keep pet rabbits indoors or screened off and seek veterinary care for suspicious lesions.
The virus has outsized scientific importance: Shope papillomavirus was the first DNA virus proven to cause tumors in animals, helping pave the way for HPV-cancer research and human HPV vaccines.