USA - Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) has continued to spread in wild rabbits

[Gert van der Hoek]

. This map shows locations of mortality events in wild rabbits suspected or confirmed to be RHDV2 in North America as of May 7, 2020.



Continued Expansion of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 in North America and Additional Instructions Regarding Mortality Event Investigations

To: Natural Resource/Conservation Managers

From: Dr. Jonathan Sleeman, Center Director, USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Date: May 7, 2020

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) has continued to spread in wild rabbits in North America. As of early May 2020, RHDV2 has been confirmed in wild rabbits in four counties (Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Eddy, and Santa Fe) in New Mexico, seven counties (Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo, and Pima) in Arizona, six counties (El Paso, Hudspeth, Lubbock, Pecos, Randall, and Terrell) in Texas, and one county (Alamosa) in Colorado (Figure 1).

In addition, concurrent RHDV (nottyped) events have been reported in Jim?nez, Ahumada, and Allende municipalities, Chihuahua, Mexico. To date, rabbit mortality events reported by state natural resource agencies have varied from three to >1000 dead rabbits. In addition to the black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and desert cottontails (Sylvilagus audubonii) reported in the April 13, 2020 Wildlife Health Bulletin, RHDV2 has also been confirmed in mountain cottontails (Sylvilagus nuttallii) and antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni) from Arizona and eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) from Colorado.

[bertrand789]

Oceania[edit]


In 1991 a strain of the RHDVa virus, Czech CAPM 351RHDV, was imported to Australia^[38] under strict quarantine conditions to research the safety and usefulness of the virus if it was used as a biological control agent against Australia and New Zealand's rabbit pest problem. Testing of the virus was undertaken on Wardang Island in Spencer Gulf off the coast of the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1995 the virus escaped quarantine and subsequently killed 10 million rabbits within 8 weeks of its release.^[39] In March 2017 a new Korean strain known as RHDV K5 was successfully released in a deliberate manner after almost a decade of research. This strain was chosen in part because it functions better in cool, wet regions where the previous Calicivirus was less effective.^[40]

In July 1997, after considering over 800 public submissions, the New Zealand Ministry of Health decided not to allow RHDVa to be imported into New Zealand to control rabbit populations. However, in late August it was confirmed that RHDVa had been deliberately and illegally introduced to the Cromwell area of the South Island. An unsuccessful attempt was made by New Zealand officials to control the spread of the disease. It was, however, being intentionally spread, and several farmers (notably in the Mackenzie Basin area) admitted to processing rabbits that had died from the disease in kitchen blenders for further spreading. Had the disease been introduced at a better time, there would have been a more effective control of the population. However, it was released after breeding had commenced for the season, and rabbits under 2 weeks old at the time of the introduction were resistant to the disease. These young rabbits were therefore able to survive and breed rabbit numbers back up. Ten years on, rabbit populations (in the Mackenzie Basin in particular) are beginning to reach near pre-plague proportions once again though they have not yet returned to pre RCD levels.^[41][42] Resistance to RHD in New Zealand rabbits has led to the widespread use of Compound 1080 (Sodium fluoroacetate). The Government and department of Conservation are having to increase their use of 1080 to protect Reserve land from rabbits and preserve the gains made in recent years through the use of RHD.^[43]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit...rhagic_disease


his arrival in Switzerland is fun ...

[Emily]

Very interesting, bertrand! And the first outbreak of that horrible disease in the US was relatively close to a lab that may have been studying the virus.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-info-services/sa_about_nvsl/ct_history_nvsl

[bertrand789]

a small blue tongue
Une intervention humaine en cause dans la r?surgence d’un virus du b?tail

https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/artic...9561_3244.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetongue_disease