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Received by the Rabbit Industry Council (Pamela Alley)
Emergency Management Notice 1: Rabbit calicivirus 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: http://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.
Received by the Rabbit Industry Council (Pamela Alley)
Emergency Management Notice 2: Rabbit calicivirus CONFIRMED
Background Information:
On August 17, 2001, USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) confirmed rabbit calicivirus disease based on hemagglutination tests and electron microscopy from a rabbitry in Utah county, Utah.
The rabbitry of approximately 900 rabbits is still under quarantine and trace outs are complete. There were only three rabbit movements: 3 rabbits to a Yellowstone County, MT, premises; 72 rabbits to a Mercer County, IL, premises; and 3 rabbits to another premises in Utah. These premises are under quarantine as well.
The Yellowstone County, MT, premises rabbit tracing found that two other rabbits from this Montana premises (but not the Utah origin rabbits), while in route to a truck for slaughter, were co-mingled with rabbits that were on their way to the Montana State Fair.
These 2 Montana premises rabbits were then placed on a truck carrying 3,600 rabbits in route to California through Idaho.
Utah update:
Depopulation of the both herds will be done. No clinical disease has been seen on the second Utah premises.
The Utah State Veterinarian has canceled all rabbit shows until the outbreak has concluded.
Montana Update:
The 3 rabbits brought from the infected premises in Utah were euthanized, and samples taken. The euthanized rabbits were buried on the property. The remaining rabbits are under quarantine on this premises and further action is dependent on final lab results.
Preliminary test results were negative for the 3 rabbits that were euthanized. Final test results are pending.
As a result of possible exposure at the Montana State Fair, the State Veterinarian placed 15 premises under quarantined.
Idaho Update:
Movement restrictions were placed on the truck carrying approximately 3,600 rabbits because of the 2 rabbits from the Yellowstone County, MT, premises (but not the Utah origin rabbits). These 3,600 rabbits, considered to be contacts, were euthanized and disposed of appropriately.
Illinois Update:
The Mercer County premises, which received 72 rabbits from the infected Utah premises, is under quarantine and plans are being made for depopulating those rabbits. There were no rabbit movements before the quarantine was issued. The owner has approximately 300 rabbits.
Preliminary test results are positive for the rabbits that were received from the infected Utah premises.
From all of the epidemiological data gathered so far, it seems that the outbreak has been contained to the premises mentioned above. Tracing in all affected States has revealed no other rabbit movements from these premises before quarantines were placed. Information is still being gathered from various concerned rabbit owners and is being considered in light of the known information.
APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS) and the State Departments of Agriculture of Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Illinois are working together to address the situation. VS will assist the affected States in the depopulation and cleaning/disinfecting of the premises. VS will also investigate reports of suspect rabbit calicivirus disease as part of the foreign animal disease surveillance program.
Updates regarding the rabbit calicivirus disease outbreak will be provided as new information becomes available. If you have any questions please contact the Emergency Programs staff at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.
Please forward this information to other Federal, State, and industry counterparts as necessary.
------definitions---------
Emergency Management Issue is for information with no impact on APHIS
Emergency Management Notice is an ongoing incident with potential impact on APHIS
Emergency Management Warning is an ongoing incident with almost certain impact on APHIS
Received by the Rabbit Industry Council (Pamela Alley)
Emergency Management Notice 3: Rabbit calicivirus CONFIRMED Update
Background Information:
On August 17, 2001, USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) confirmed Viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits (VHD) also known as rabbit calicivirus disease based on hemagglutination tests and electron microscopy from a rabbitry in Utah county, Utah.
Utah update:
Depopulation of the both herds has been done. Cleaning and disinfection of both premises is ongoing. Utah State and federal officials are continuing to interview people who had previous contact with any of these rabbits.
Montana Update:
The 3 rabbits brought from the infected premises in Utah were euthanized, and samples taken. Preliminary test results were negative for the 3 rabbits that were euthanized. The euthanized rabbits were buried on the property. The remaining rabbits are under quarantine on this premises and further action is dependent on the results from additional lab tests from these rabbits.
As a result of possible exposure at the Montana State Fair, the State Veterinarian placed 15 premises under quarantine. These premises will remain under quarantine until final lab results are known.
Idaho Update:
Movement restrictions were placed on the truck carrying approximately 3,600 rabbits because of the 2 rabbits from the Yellowstone County, MT, premises (but not the Utah origin rabbits). These 3,600 rabbits, considered to be contacts, were euthanized and disposed of appropriately.
Test results on rabbits from that truck are negative.
Illinois Update:
The Mercer County premises, which received 72 rabbits from the infected Utah premises, is under quarantine and plans are being made for depopulating those rabbits. There were no rabbit movements before the quarantine was issued. The owner has approximately 300 rabbits.
Preliminary test results are positive for the rabbits that were received from the infected Utah premises.
Discussions are under way to determine the value of the animals. When an agreement has been reached between the owner and the State and Federal officials, the remaining animals will be euthanized and disposed of appropriately.
From all of the epidemiological data gathered so far, it seems that the outbreak has been contained to the premises mentioned above. Tracing in all affected States has revealed no other rabbit movements from these premises before quarantines were placed. Information is still being gathered from various concerned rabbit owners and is being considered in light of the known information.
APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS) and the State Departments of Agriculture of Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Illinois are working together to address the situation. VS will assist the affected States in the depopulation and cleaning/disinfecting of the premises. VS will also investigate reports of suspect Viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits (VHD) as part of the foreign animal disease surveillance program.
Updates regarding this outbreak will be provided as new information becomes available. If you have any questions please contact the Emergency Programs staff at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.
Please forward this information to other Federal, State, and industry counterparts as necessary.
Received by the Rabbit Industry Council (Pamela Alley)
Emergency Management Notice 4: Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease FINAL Update:
Background Information:
On August 17, 2001, USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) confirmed rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as rabbit calicivirus disease, based on hemagglutination tests and electron microscopy, in a rabbitry in Utah County, Utah.
Please refer to EMOC's 1 through 3 for more details on the background of events.
Utah update:
Both premises have been depopulated, cleaned, and disinfected. Depopulation of the both herds has been done. Cleaning and disinfection of both premises is ongoing. Utah State and federal officials are continuing to interview people who had previous contact with any of these rabbits.
Montana Update:
As a result of possible exposure at the Yellowstone County Fair, the State Veterinarian placed 15 premises under quarantine. Since this time the quarantines have been lifted.
Idaho Update:
The 3,600 rabbits traveling through Idaho on a truck and considered to be contacts of the Montana premises were euthanized and disposed of appropriately.
Illinois Update:
The Mercer County premises, which received 72 rabbits from the infected Utah premises, was depopulated, cleaned, and disinfected.
APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS) considers this current outbreak to be over. Rabbits on infected and direct contact premises have been depopulated and the premises have been cleaned and disinfected. There have been no further suspect cases. VS will continue to investigate reports of suspect RHD as part of their foreign animal disease surveillance program.
From all of the epidemiological data gathered so far, the outbreak has been contained to the premises mentioned above. Tracing in all affected States has revealed no other rabbit movements from these premises before quarantines were in place. No trace in source of the virus has been identified.
As a result of this second outbreak, VS will continue the process of collecting information on the rabbit industries in efforts to minimize the impact of this disease on the industry. Industry input will be necessary and important if the outcome is to accommodate the broad range of issues of the rabbit industry.
If you have any questions please contact the Emergency Programs staff at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.
Please forward this information to other Federal, State, and industry counterparts as necessary.
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