Viromic Analysis of Feces From Laboratory Rabbits Reveals a Novel Circovirus

Abstract Circoviruses are responsible for fatal diseases that can affect mammals and birds. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) is responsible for fatal diseases of birds, causing the psittacine beak and feather disease. The current study discovered a novel circovirus named RabCV from feces of laboratory rabbits, which shows close relationship to BFDVs. This novel circovirus was discovered from feces of rabbits, which showed low prevalence in the healthy laboratory rabbits. BFDV is responsible for fatal diseases that could affect birds, which suggested that the potential threat of the novel rabbit circovirus to the health of laboratory rabbits needs further study.