 |
RVHD Outbreak - Utah,
USA - August 7, 2001
Emergency Management Warning 3:
Update
Emergency Management Warning 4:
Final Update
CEI Summary Report
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:
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.
Emergency Management Warning 2:
Rabbit Calici virus Disease 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
Emergency Management Warning 3:
Rabbit Calici virus Disease 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
Emergency Management Warning 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.
Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of Rabbits
in USA 2001
CEI Summary Report
August 2001 -- VDHR was
confirmed on 17 August 2001 in a rabbitry in Utah County, Utah. As of 20
August, 65 of the approximately 750 rabbits on the premises had died.
The remainder were depopulated. The premises were quarantined, and
tracebacks identified 3 establishments in Utah, Montana and Illinois
with contact to the affected premises, all of which were placed under
quarantine. This was the second occurrence of VHDR in the US. The first
outbreak occurred April 2000 in Iowa; that outbreak remained limited to
one premises and the origin of infection was not determined.
Sources: ProMed; OIE Disease
Information Report; and APHIS-Veterinary Services, Iowa ©
1996-2008 Raising House Rabbits |
