 |
The disease in
rabbits was notifiable in the UK until autumn 1996. The disease was originally reported in
China in 1984, spread through Europe & in 1992 was reported in housed UK rabbits with
fatal consequences. Current thinking is that the rabbit virus (presumably a less
pathogenic variant of the virus which has been causing VHD recently) is present in the
wild rabbit population in the UK (from serological surveys of stored rabbit sera) and
affords some protection to the virulent virus. Analysis of hare sera for virus
antibodies suggests that the virus has been present in the UK hare population since 1971. |
