The effects of RHD/RCD on human health in Australia

Has RCD/RHD already affected human health in Australia?

Read this 1998 new paper on Emerging Infectious Diseases that indicates RCD/RHD may have caused illness in Australians.
  • CDC USA Emerging Infectious Diseases Vol 4 No 1 January - March 1998 :Calicivirus Emergence from Ocean Reservoirs: Zoonotic and Interspecies Movements
  • Click here to read EID Journal VOl 4 No 2 April - June 1998 - Letters
  • News report - New CDC report indicates that RHD/RCD may infect human health.
  • The Precautionary Principle - proceedings from a meeting on environmental health and safety-January 1998
  • The family Caliciviridae
  • Click here to read the opinions of many Scientists opposing the deliberate spread of RHD/RCD (including doctors)

    The August 1996 BRS Report on RCD quoted the Chief Medical Officer, Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services as stating:

    "(1)While at this stage
    (2)there is no guarantee of human safety with respect to exposure to rabbit calicivirus
    (3)I am satisfied that the above findings do not provide evidence that rabbit calicivirus is associated with infection or disease in humans.
    (4)On this basis and
    (5)with the limitations of the study in mind, I have no objection to the controlled release of rabbit calicivirus as a means of rabbit control".

    Full text of letter from the Chief Medical Adviser,Dr A.I.Adams.



    Click here to return to front page