‘Frankenstein’ Rabbits With Tentacle-Like Growths Are Appearing Across the US

Key Points:

• Shope papillomavirus (SPV) is a rabbit-specific DNA virus causing dark, wart-like growths on cottontail rabbits, sometimes forming large clusters resembling a keratinized crown; these growths are benign warts but can occasionally develop into cancerous tumors.
• Most infected wild rabbits survive and eventually shed the growths, but severe cases can impair vital functions like vision and feeding, leading to starvation or death.
• SPV does not infect humans, and there are no documented cases of transmission to people; however, domestic rabbits are at risk, especially if exposed to wild rabbits or insect vectors like mosquitoes and ticks.
• Rabbit owners in affected areas should keep pets indoors or in screened enclosures, control insect populations, avoid contact with wild rabbits, and consult veterinarians if wart-like growths appear, as surgical removal is effective.
• Notably, Shope papillomavirus was the first DNA virus shown to cause tumors in animals, a discovery that contributed to understanding papillomaviruses' role in cancer and aided the development of human HPV vaccines.