RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 First description of a herpesvirus infection in genus Lepus JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2020.01.21.913723 DO 10.1101/2020.01.21.913723 A1 F.A. Abade dos Santos A1 M. Monteiro A1 A. Pinto A1 C.L. Carvalho A1 M.C. Peleteiro A1 P. Carvalho A1 P. Mendonça A1 T. Carvalho A1 M.D. Duarte YR 2020 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/03/21/2020.01.21.913723.abstract AB During the necropsies of Iberian hares obtained in 2018/2019, along with signs of the nodular form of myxomatosis, other unexpected external lesions were also observed. Histopathology revealed nuclear inclusion bodies in stromal cells suggesting the additional presence of a nuclear replicating virus.Transmission electron microscopy further demonstrated the presence of herpesvirus particles in the tissues of affected hares.We confirmed the presence of herpesvirus in 13 MYXV-positive hares by PCR and sequencing analysis. Herpesvirus-DNA was also detected in seven healthy hares, suggesting its asymptomatic circulation.Phylogenetic analysis based on DNA polymerase gene, grouped this virus within the gammaherpesviruses, close to herpesviruses from bats and rodents.We propose to name this new virus Leporid gammaherpesvirus 5 (LeHV-5), according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses standards.The impact of herpesvirus infection on the reproduction and mortality of the Iberian hare is yet unknown but may aggravate the decline of wild populations caused by the recently emerged natural recombinant myxoma virus.