Jerome Letty transmitted your request about RHDV. I conduct research on rabbits in the ONC.Before beginning I would like you to excuse me for my bad English.

a) In Europe RVHD is now endemic but we have no data for some islands. I meet the same problem as yours : in Corsica (an island) rabbit was introduced about 20 years ago and is responsible for severe damage to agriculture and farmers ask for introduction of RVHD. My opinion is that we have not enough data on the host range of this virus to authorize such introduction. Moreover, I think that all introduction (animal or vegetal species, virus,...) should be forbidden : it is not possible to measure the impact on the environment.

b) I am not a specialist of the laboratory problems : ELISA tests,...I sugest you to contact Dr Francois Moutou. His address is : Centre National d'Etudes Veterinaires et Alimentaires (CNEVA) - 22, rue Pierre Curie - BP 67 -F-94703 MAISON-ALFORT Cedex Fax : (0) 43 68 97 62

c) We have no data for this question