Rabbit haemorrhagic disease

Article 13.2.1.

General provisions

For the purposes of the Terrestrial Code, the infective period for rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) shall be 60 days.

Standards for diagnostic tests and vaccines are described in the Terrestrial Manual.

Article 13.2.2.

RHD free country

A country may be considered free from RHD when it has been shown that the disease has not been present for at least one year, that no vaccination has been carried out in the previous 12 months, and that virological or serological surveys in both domestic and wild rabbits have confirmed the absence of the disease.

This period may be reduced to six months after the last case has been eliminated and disinfection procedures completed in countries adopting a stamping-out policy, and where the serological survey confirmed that the disease had not occurred in the wild rabbits.

Article 13.2.3.

RHD free establishment

An establishment may be considered free from RHD when it has been shown, by serological testing, that the disease has not been present for at least one year, and that no vaccination has been carried out in the previous 12 months. Such establishments should be regularly inspected by the Veterinary Authority.

A previously infected establishment may be considered free when six months have elapsed after the last case has been eliminated, and after:

1. a stamping-out policy has been adopted and carcasses have been disposed of by burning;

2. the rabbitry has been thoroughly disinfected and kept empty for at least six weeks;

3. the rabbitry is properly fenced to prevent the straying of wild lagomorphs into the rabbitry.

Article 13.2.4.

Trade in commodities

Veterinary Authorities of RHD free countries may prohibit importation or transit through their territory, from countries considered infected with RHD, of live rabbits, semen, meat and non-treated pelts.

Article 13.2.5.

Recommendations for importation from RHD free countries

For domestic rabbits destined for breeding

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no clinical sign of RHD on the day of shipment;

2. were kept in a RHD free country since birth or for at least the past 60 days.

Article 13.2.6.

Recommendations for importation from RHD free countries

For day-old rabbits destined for breeding

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no clinical sign of RHD on the day of shipment;

2. were born from female rabbits which had been kept in a country free from RHD for at least the past 60 days.

Article 13.2.7.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For domestic rabbits destined for breeding or pharmaceutical or surgical or agricultural or industrial use

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no clinical sign of RHD on the day of shipment;

AND

2. were kept in a RHD free establishment where no clinical case of RHD was found when inspected by an Official Veterinarian immediately prior to shipment;

OR

3. were kept in an establishment where no case of RHD was reported during the 60 days prior to shipment and no clinical case of RHD was found when inspected by an Official Veterinarian immediately prior to shipment; and

4. were kept in an establishment where no animal has been vaccinated against RHD; and

5. were kept in an establishment where breeding rabbits (at least 10% of the animals) were subjected to the serological test for RHD with negative results during the 60 days prior to shipment; and

6. have not been vaccinated against RHD; or

7. were vaccinated against RHD immediately before shipment (the nature of the vaccine used and the date of vaccination shall also be stated in the certificate).

Article 13.2.8.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For day-old rabbits destined for breeding

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. were kept in a RHD free establishment where no clinical case of RHD was found when inspected by an Official Veterinarian immediately prior to shipment;

OR

2. were kept in an establishment where no case of RHD was reported during the 30 days prior to shipment and no clinical case of RHD was found when inspected by an Official Veterinarian immediately before shipment; and

3. have not been vaccinated against RHD; and

4. were born from female rabbits which were subjected to the serological test for RHD with negative results during the 60 days prior to shipment.

Article 13.2.9.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For domestic rabbits destined for immediate slaughter

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no clinical sign of RHD on the day of shipment;

2. were kept in an establishment where no case of RHD was reported during the 60 days prior to shipment.

Article 13.2.10.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For semen

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the donor animals:

1. showed no clinical sign of RHD on the day of collection of the semen;

2. were subjected to the serological test for RHD with negative results during the 30 days prior to collection.

Article 13.2.11.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For domestic rabbit meat

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the meat comes from animals which:

1. were kept in an establishment where no case of RHD was reported during the 60 days prior to transport to the approved abattoir;

2. were subjected to ante-mortem inspections for RHD with favourable results;

3. showed no lesions of RHD at post-mortem inspections.

Article 13.2.12.

Recommendations for importation from RHD free countries

For non-treated pelts

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the pelts come from rabbits which had been kept in a country free from RHD for at least 60 days before slaughter.

Article 13.2.13.

Recommendations for importation from countries considered infected with RHD

For pelts

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the pelts were subjected to a drying treatment for at least one month and a formalin-based treatment by spraying at a 3% concentration, or by fumigation carried out, not more than seven days prior to shipment.