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New Strain of VHD in Brentwood, Essex

trudi

Warren Scout
Just read on Facebook about a new strain of VHD in Brentwood, an animal sanctuary has lost half it's rabbits in the last month. Anyone else got any more information? :(
 
does anyone know if the RWAF are aware of this?

I would expect so. There was something mentioned in Rabbiting On a few issues back and also in the alert email about the vaccine shortage.

Here is the info from the alert email:

We have also been notified about this message from the Government

Date: Fri 21 Aug 2015
From: Alan Wight <alan.wight@apha.gsi.gov.uk>

Re: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease - UK: (England) susp. 20150820.3591864

It should be noted that if the virus present in these cases is the RHD virus 2-like variant (RHDV-2), then the current vaccines available, (based on RHDV) may not provide effective protection. Full identification of the causative virus is therefore essential.

--
Communicated by
Alan Wight
<alan.wight@apha.gsi.gov.uk>

[In summer 2010 a RHDV variant, deciphered on the basis of the major capsid protein (VP60) sequence and designated RHDV-2, was detected in France, following which it spread across mainland Europe.
Subsequently, the availability of efficacious commercial vaccines that afforded protection against circulating RHDV strains enabled its control; however, in wild populations the effects of vaccination campaigns are considered inconsequential.

Since August 2013, an increased number of samples submitted for the investigation of RHDV were received in the Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, UK, eventually leading to identification of RHDV-2, as published in December 2014 (see Ref 1).

The following information on RHDV-2 is derived from the commentary of Mod.CRD in ProMED-mail's post 20150708.3494836:

"According to recent publications, the emerging lagovirus Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) has been described as a strain that infects not only rabbits but also hares. (http://tinyurl.com/pttjtp5).

RHDV2 is less virulent and with lower observed mortality rates than RHDV and RHDVa. However, the disease resulting from RHDV2 is longer in duration and will take a chronic or subacute course more often than RHD caused by the other viral strains.
<http://biome.biomedcentral.com/new-lagovirus-identified-as-cause-of-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease/>

Subscribers may want to refer to these 2 interesting articles which describe this new strain:

Camarda A, Pugliese N, Cavadini P, et al. Detection of the new emerging rabbit hemorrhagic disease type 2 virus (RHDV2) in Sicily from rabbit (_Oryctolagus cuniculus_) and Italian hare (_Lepus corsicanus_). Res Vet Sci. 2014; 97(3); 642-5. <http://tinyurl.com/pttjtp5>.

Le Gall-Recule G, Lavazza A, Marchandeau S, et al. Emergence of a new lagovirus related to Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus. Vet Res. 2013;
44(1): 81. <http://www.veterinaryresearch.org/content/44/1/81>."

Laboratory tests to confirm the (suspected) diagnosis of the cases in
Maidstone (Kent) as reported in ProMED-mail's recent post
20150820.3591864 are anticipated. In line with Dr Wight's appreciated comment, genotyping of the causative virus is needed.

Reference
D. G. Westcott, DG and Choudhury, B. Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2-like variant in Great Britain (Short communication). Veterinary Record 2015;176:74 doi:10.1136/vr.102830. (Published Online: 4 Dec 2014). - Mod.AS
 
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I have also heard of a similar issue in Hertfordshire. NOT at Rabbit Residence though. RR is taking extra precautions with disinfecting everything (and every one). If you come to visit, do not be offended if asked to splash through a tray of disinfectant before coming on site!
 
RWAF are aware, also been dozens of wild rabbits found dead in Rainham, Essex, don't know if that has been confirmed VHD though.
 
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