Emergency Management Warning 1:
Rabbit Calicivirus Disease CONFIRMED
Rabbit Calicivirus Disease (also known as Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of
rabbits) has been identified in a rabbitry of approximately 750 rabbits
in
Utah County, Utah. The owners have lost approximately 65 rabbits. The
premises is quarantined, and tracing of animal movement into and out of
the
premises is ongoing. 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 tractor trailer
containing approximately 3,600 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 approximately 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, one in Utah, Montana and Illinois. Montana traced the rabbit movement of the premises that received the Utah rabbits. Two other rabbits from that Montana premises, in route to the truck for slaughter, were co-mingled with rabbits destined to the Montana State Fair. The rabbits at the state fair were quarantined by the State Veterinarian.
APHIS, Veterinary Services and the State Department's 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. VS also will investigate reports of suspect Rabbit Calicivirus disease as part of the foreign animal disease surveillance program and will continue to diagnose suspect cases at FADDL.
A factsheet and Questions and Answers are posted on the APHIS website: www.aphis.usda.gov
Background Information on this Situation
The Utah State laboratory submitted samples to Plum Island on August 15. Rabbit calicivirus disease or toxic hepatopathy was suspected based on the clinical history and microscopic lesions in the liver. On August 17, USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) confirmed rabbit calicivirus disease based on hemagglutination tests and electron microscopy. The state and federal offices were notified and foreign animal disease investigations began immediately. Epidemiologic information is being collected and additional samples are being sent to the USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL).History of Rabbit Calicivirus
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 U.S. domestic and commercial rabbits are derived. Rabbits native to North America (cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits) 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. Rabbits die acutely within 6 to 24 hours of the onset of a fever with few clinical signs.
If you have any questions, please contact USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, Emergency Programs staff at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@USDA.GOV. Please forward this information to other industry counterparts as necessary.
--P. J. O'Rourke
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