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http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit

Winter 2001- 2002 index CivAb index

SPECIAL TO THE CIVIL ABOLITIONIST:

Australia plans to broadcast baits with potential to infect other species.

On the seventh of April 2000, a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease of mammals killed 25 rabbits in a backyard rabbitry in Iowa. This was the first case of Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of Rabbits ever reported in the USA. The virus killed 25 out of the 27 rabbits and the remaining two rabbits were euthanased.

Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of rabbits otherwise known as RHD (Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease) had spread across Europe and parts of Asia since it emerged as a deadly killer disease in 1984 and now it had arrived in the USA. No-one has been able to find how the RHD virus found its way to the Iowa rabbitry.

Origins of RHD
RHD first appeared in China in 1984 killing a shipment of Angora rabbits flown into China from Germany. The virus probably jumped from another species into the European rabbit. RHD subsequently swept across Europe and parts of Asia killing millions of rabbits in its path. RHD mainly infects the European rabbit and all domestic rabbits are classified as European rabbits.

RHD has killed hares (a different species to rabbits) and RHD antibodies were found in a Mexican laboratory worker. Australian tests showed high levels of RHD antibodies in many animal species deliberately infected with RHD. New Zealand tests found high levels of RHD antibodies in cats. Antibodies are often a result of infection and their presence indicates more research into RHD is required. Experts believe RHD is a calicivirus but some scientists also believe a parvovirus may be involved. In 1995, four out of the five main calicivirus groups were known to infect humans.

There is no cure for RHD and the virus usually kills its host within days.Death is often accompanied by bloody haemorrhaging from the mouth or anus. Rabbits in the UK were reported screaming as they died of RHD.

Protecting pet rabbits in the USA
USA authorities won't allow the use of an RHD vaccine in the USA. An RHD vaccine is available to protect pet rabbits in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Cottontails and Jackrabbits have been reported as not susceptible to RHD at the present time.

RHD is spread by contact between rabbits and on food containers transferred between infected and uninfected rabbits. The disease may travel on clothing, on dust particles and on lorry tyres. RHD may be carried by birds and "biting and sucking" insects such as biting flies and fleas. In 1995 an outbreak of RHD in Mexico occurred when the disease arrived on a shipment of frozen rabbit meat from China. Mexico is the only country in the world who managed to eradicate RHD and millions of rabbits were euthanased and many premises disinfected.

No island is an island.
In 1995 RHD escaped from Wardang island off the coast of South Australia.Scientists were testing RHD as a possible biocontrol of introduced wild European rabbits in Australia. RHD spread across Australia and an urgent plea went out for vaccines for pet and meat rabbits.

Two American scientists sent joint submissions to Australian authorities opposing the legalisation of RHD as a biological control agent during 1995-96. Both scientists pointed out that Australian authorities had not proven that RHD was species specific
to the European rabbit. The two scientists were Dr Alvin Smith, head of the Laboratory of Calicivirus Studies at Oregon State University and Dr David Matson, Professor of Paediatrics at the Children's Hospital of the Kings Daughters in West Virginia. Dr David Matson is a world expert in caliciviruses in humans.

The Australian public were unable to comment on the use of RHD as a biological control agent of wild rabbits because the disease had escaped before the consultation process was scheduled. In 1996 the Australian authorities declared RHD a biological control agent of the European rabbit in Australia. In 2000, the disease has not wiped out the Australian wild rabbit population and some rabbits have been reported as being resistant to RHD.

Removing that "Hemorrhagic" word.
Science magazine (Volume 272, 12th April 1996) says officials from Australian Animal Health Laboratories were quoted as "pleading guilty to a bit of spin control: They acknowledge that attempting to use the term Rabbit Calicivirus Disease instead of RHD, to make the virus seem more innocuous, was an ill-conceived public relations ploy". The OIE (International Office of Epizootics in France) had named the disease Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of Rabbits in 1989.

During the Iowa outbreak of RHD, the USDA decided to use the incorrect name
of RCD instead of RHD.

The New Zealand Story.
When an attempt was made to import RHD into New Zealand as a biological control agent of wild rabbits, over 800 submissions from around the world were received by NZ authorities, many opposing the legalisation of RHD as a biocontrol agent. New Zealand's own Ministry of Health and Association of Scientists submitted "No" submissions and in July 1997 New Zealand decided against adopting RHD as a biological control agent of rabbits. Later farmers flouted New Zealand law and imported the disease themselves, mixing up cocktails of infected rabbit and water in their kitchen blenders and making RHD food baits to spread across New Zealand. New Zealand Researchers have since noticed RHD infected rabbits dying over protracted periods of time in New Zealand with their ears rotting away. This phenomena occurs no-where else in the world and was reported in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal.

The final appeal to obtain RHD bait information.
The NRA in Australia (National Registration Authority for agricultural and veterinary products) is now considering a proposal to legalise RHD food baits. In Australia, the only way to legally spread RHD at present is to trap and inject wild rabbits with RHD and release them to infect other rabbits. Authorities think it would be easier to spread RHD on food baits. Other animals such as kangaroos could easily eat RHD food baits in quantities large enough to cause infection. There are no safe vaccines to protect any species against RHD infection other than rabbits. There have been rumours of Australian native animals dying alongside the rabbits and Wedge-tailed eagle numbers have declined in parts of Australia since the escape of RHD onto the continent.

An Australian activist is appealing against the NRA's decision not to allow her to access the RHD bait testing protocols she believes are faulty. There is no ongoing monitoring of native animals or humans in Australia for possible illness due to infection by RHD. Previous data accessed under FOI legislation showed higher incidences of illness in humans who were highly exposed to RHD than in people with low exposure to the disease.

continued Effect on birds of prey