Emergency report: Translation of a fax received on 25 June 1997 from Dr
E.F. Serrano Ramirez, Director General of the Institute of Veterinary
Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Havana
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, epidemiological and laboratory.
Date of initial detection of animal health incident: 13 May 1997.
Estimated date of first infection: 12 May 1997.
Location No. of outbreaks
Caimito district, Havana province 4
Artemisa district, Havana province 5
San Jose de las Lajas district, Havana province 2
Guanajay district, Havana province 1
Total number of animals in the outbreaks:
susceptible cases deaths destroyed slaughtered
18,964 1,905 1,759 556 559 *
* Incomplete data.
Diagnosis: After a sudden high incidence of mortality in a production unit
for private consumption, viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits was
immediately suspected because of the clinical signs present, and immediate
action was taken. Coincidentally, in 1993, when the disease was reported in
Cuba for the first time, it was in the municipality of Caimito that the last
outbreak occurred (see OIE Disease Information, 7, 5 [19]).
When the first adults were received (live and dead rabbits) with a known
clinical history, clinical observations were made and blood samples were
taken for hematological investigation. All of the animals were subjected to
a rigorous anatomo-pathological examination, and post-mortem examinations
were carried out in accordance with the technique required for this species.
Fragments of various organs were selected for histopathological examination
and for bacteriological and parasitological investigation in order to rule
out other diseases. Samples were taken under aseptic conditions from the
liver and spleen of the various animals and were subjected to the
hemagglutination test with human type O erythrocytes. Other samples were
collected for electron microscopy.
Evaluation of case histories and epidemiological data, together with the
anatomo-pathological and histopathological observations and the results of
the hemagglutination procedure, led to a strong suspicion of the disease,
which was confirmed by the results of electron microscopy.
Control measures during reporting period:
1. A disease emergency was declared in the provinces of Havana and Havana
City and a disease alert was issued in the provinces of Pinar del Rio and
Matanzas. The remainder of the country was notified and strict surveillance
measures were introduced.
2. Epidemiological surveillance was stepped up, as were nation-wide
information campaigns.
3. A ban was declared on the movement of rabbits in and around the outbreaks.
4. Radical measures were applied in and around the outbreaks and the
necessary sanitary measures were adopted, both to prevent the disease from
spreading and to protect major centres in the country.
END