Our Letter To APHIS, September 2001
September 7, 2001Kimberley M. Smith
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
Veterinary Services, Emergency Programs
4700 River Road, Unit 41
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231
Dear Ms. Smith,
I realize that you are in the process of answering a rather long list of questions sent to you by The Coalition. I ask that you bear with us for a moment, understanding that the outbreak brought to us hundreds of emails from concerned citizens. After going through those and organizing volunteers, and preparing the first list of questions, I have finally had the time to thoroughly examine the official notices sent out by APHIS.
Within those documents, I have found some inconsistencies, and possible inconsistencies, with facts. Though we addressed some of these concerns in our first list, because these are published written statements by your agency, it is appropriate to address the specific written comments.
In the first Emergency Management Warning we find the following statement; "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." We would appreciate clarification of this statement in terms of time and scope. We ask this because after the last outbreak, once the investigation was closed, it was reported by Pamela Alley of the RIC, (Rabbit Industry Council), that APHIS was called regarding a possible case. APHIS officials declined to investigate, stating that no funds were available for such investigations.
The same document states, "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." First of all we would like to confirm that APHIS is solely speaking of the Rabbit Calicivirus known as RHD?
Secondly, we know through the research conducted by Dr. Gregg, of the Plum Island facility, that cottontail rabbits do not develop clinical disease consistent with the disease manifestations of RHD in European rabbits. What research has proven that jackrabbits do not develop clinical disease? What research has proven that cottontails and jackrabbits are not susceptible to the virus, possibly creating other disease symptoms? If the scientist conducting the research was anyone other than Dr. Gregg, we would ask what the strength of the inoculations were, compared to the amount of viral particles a cottontail in a natural setting may encounter. To be fair to all, we may as well ask that question here in case others do not share our view of Dr. Gregg's work. To assist all of our members in understanding the science of such experiments, we would ask that this information be presented in laymen's terms to the degree possible.
Furthermore, we are not clear as to the complete findings of Dr. Gregg's research. Do we know how RHD affects fetuses being carried by infected subjects of either species? Was any liver damage incurred by those inoculated with the virus in experiments? I could list a number of disease symptoms, though it may be more expedient for you to assist us in understanding what symptoms were looked for. In addition, it would be helpful to know if those inoculated were allowed to come in contact with other cottontails not inoculated and if so the results. We know that when Dr. House of Plum Island inoculated pigs with the Walrus Calicivirus they did not manifest disease symptoms. Yet when those infected pigs were allowed to co-mingle with uninfected pigs, the latter manifested full vesicular disease. How thorough were the experiments conducted at Plum Island in regards to RHD and cottontails? And what research has proven that Humans and other mammals are not affected by RHD? And why the use of the term mammals? Has some research been conducted that shows that birds, non mammal marine life, and insects are affected?
Finally in that document, we find the statement, "Rabbits die acutely within 6 to 24 hours of the onset of a fever with few clinical signs." Is it not true that some rabbits die with no clinical signs?
Another statement made repeatedly in all three documents refers to "trace out" and "epidemiological data gathered." We want to clarify these terms.
To begin with, let me clarify some history here. Last year I spoke with Dr. Oliver Williams, Dr. Ian Stewart and Barbara Bischoff at one point during the investigation. Placed on speaker-phone, I had the opportunity to receive information from all of the above at once. We spoke of the scope of investigations of RHD outbreaks and the techniques that would be used. Dr. Stewart emphatically pointed out that in the case of an outbreak at one facility, investigators MIGHT knock on the doors of neighboring facilities. He repeated the word "might" at least twice. I consequently placed a document on our site meant to assuage the fears of the public regarding what we perceive as the "bunny police" who may come calling in the case of an outbreak. Later, during the conference called held by APHIS with representatives from Rabbit Interest Groups, ours included, we learned that investigators sought out suspicious rabbit deaths in a five-mile radius. As a rabbit person, I believe that the majority of all rabbit deaths are suspicious. Few conduct necropsies.
Rescue people will say that they conduct necropsies, but such cannot always prove that Caliciviruses are not a factor. I say that because no rabbit is ever tested for Caliciviruses. Cattle who manifest vesicular disease are not tested for Caliciviruses. Pigs who suffer spontaneous abortions are not tested for Caliciviruses. Once again, I could go on and on.
The real point here is that though we were told that neighbors of facilities that suffer an outbreak were not automatically investigated this statement was not born of the truth of the investigation being conducted at that time. And so, what specific techniques are being utilized? What is the scope of the trace outs? What epidemiological data is being gathered and from where? The final conference call, spoken of above, also brought out the information that a rabbit who had died near the site of the first outbreak was necropsied and found not to have died due to RHD. Was this rabbit tested for other Caliciviruses? Will rabbits, dead or alive, encountered in the current investigation be tested for RHD and other Calciviruses? Once again, I must point out the strong concern regarding the potential for cross species infection inherent in all Caliciviruses as well as the lack of definitive answers regarding the original creation of RHD.
What is the radius of the investigation? Are rabbits living as family members in households within that radius being sought out?
We look forward to your reply.
Thank you,
diane of The SanctuaryThrough me the dumb shall speak, Till the deaf world's ear be made to hear
The wrongs of the wordless weak.
And I am my brother's keeper;
And I will fight his fight;
And speak the word for the beast and bird
Till the world sets things right."
--Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1850-1919
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