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Date Posted: 18:35:26 08/21/01 Tue
Author: Marguerite
Subject: Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease outbreak in the USA

RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE - USA (UTAH)
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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases

From: ProMED-mail
Source: Bruce Akey [edited]
Viral hemorrhagic disease in Utah
---------------------------------
A telephone call from the Utah state diagnostic laboratory today informed me of a confirmed case of viral hemorrhagic disease in a rabbitry in the state. The diagnosis has been confirmed by testing at Plum Island. Preliminary epidemiological work does not indicate a likely source. This seems to be mirroring the previous outbreak in Iowa, for which no source was ever determined. Tracing the movement of rabbits from the affected farm is continuing.
-- Bruce L Akey, MS, DVMChief, Office of Laboratory Services
Virginia Dept. Agriculture and Consumer Svcs.1100 Bank St, Suite 615
Richmond, VA 23219(804) 786-9202*****

[2]Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 03:12:34 +0800
From: "bunny"
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service [edited]
Emergency management warning: rabbit calicivirus disease
--------------------------------------


Rabbit calicivirus disease (also known as viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits) has been identified in a rabbitry of about 750 rabbits in Utah County, Utah. The owners have lost about 65 rabbits. The premises is quarantined, and animal movements into and out of the premises [are being traced].Trace outs were found in Montana and Illinois. The Utah origin rabbits remained on the Montana premises. Two other rabbits from the Montana premises were destined for slaughter via a tractortrailer containing about 3600 rabbits. Movement restrictions were placed on the truck in Idaho. The premises in Illinois is also under quarantine and no further movement of rabbits has been identified from that premises; that owner has lost about 20 rabbits.

There is still no information on the source of the virus introduction. All trace outs from the initial Utah premises are complete. Rabbits were sent to only three other premises -- in Utah, Montana, and Illinois. Montana traced the movement of rabbits from the premises that received the Utah rabbits. Two other rabbits from that Montana premises, on route to the truck for slaughter, were [in contact] with rabbits destined for the Montana state fair. The rabbits at the state fair were quarantined by the state veterinarian.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), veterinary services, and the state departments of agriculture of Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Illinois are working together to address the situation. Veterinary services will assist the affected states in the depopulation and cleaning and disinfecting of the premises. They also will investigate reports of suspected rabbit calicivirus disease as part of the foreign animal disease surveillance program and will continue to diagnose suspected cases at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL).

A fact sheet and questions and answers are posted on the APHIS website: . The Utah State laboratory submitted samples to Plum Island on August 15. Rabbit calicivirus disease or toxic hepatopathy was suspected on the basis of the clinical history and microscopic lesions in the liver. On 17 Aug, hemagglutination tests and electron microscopy carried out by FADDL confirmed the diagnosis. The state and federal offices were notified and foreign animal disease investigations began immediately. Epidemiological information is being collected and additional samples are being sent to FADDL.

Rabbit calicivirus was first reported in 1984 in the People's Republic of China. The first report of the virus in the western hemisphere was in Mexico City in 1988. Mexico was successful in eradicating the virus. Rabbit calicivirus disease is a highly infectious viral disease of the European rabbit (_Oryctolagus cuniculus_). This is the species from which all domestic and commercial rabbits in the United States are derived. Rabbits native to North America (cottontail rabbits and jack rabbits) do not develop clinical disease and are not susceptible to rabbit calicivirus.

Humans and other mammals are not affected by the rabbit calicivirus. Rabbit calicivirus is a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted by direct contact with infected rabbits or indirectly by contact with objects contaminated with virus. The virus damages the liver, intestines, and lymphatic tissue and causes terminal blood clots. Infected rabbits die within 6 to 24 hours of the onset of a fever, with few clinical signs.-- ProMED-mail

[Checking records of the Office International des Epizooties records: "19 June 2000, Dr Alfonso Torres, deputy administrator, Veterinary Services, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC: End of previous report period: 10 April 2000 (see Disease Information, 13 [14], 55, dated 14 April 2000). End of this report period: 13 June 2000. The investigation of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in Crawford County, Iowa, was considered closed as of 12 May 2000. An extensive epidemiological investigation failed to determine how the rabbits became infected. No new cases of rabbit calicivirus disease have been reported." Otherwise it has only been reported from Cuba in the Americas. Mod.MHJ]...............tg/mhj/sh
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