Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus was first recognized in 1984 in a shipment of Angora rabbits flown into China from Germany.Within four years the virus had spread across Asia and Europe reaching southern Spain, killing up to 95% of rabbits in its path. The virus has found its way naturally, by means of an unknown vector, across the English Channel and the Irish Sea. A vaccine to protect laboratory and breeder European rabbits is available in some countries, but limited in some areas because the vaccine is a crude liver homogenate from laboratory-infected rabbits.

Australia has been experiencing a continent-wide epidemic of RHDV since open field trials begun in March, 1995, resulted in an "accidental" escape of the virus from Wardang Island off the coast of South Australia. The virus was being studied as a biologic vector to kill rabbits. Field trials began despite ignorance of the mechanism of virus spread and insensitive antibody assays (EIA cut-off points of OD 0.5, for example). The epidemic has been spotty with little mortality in some regions and rebounding rabbit populations in some areas. The government of Australia now is soliciting manufacture of seeded baits containing RHDV to facilitate virus spread, including the possibility of virus-coated carrots, as a suggested example.

Events in Australia where prosecution for mishandling of the virus was not considered are in contrast to other countries (Mexico, England, China, Spain, Ireland) where expensive, extensive eradication programs were undertaken.