Vaccine Against Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Coming Soon To Iceland

A vaccine against an ultimately fatal disease that has been afflicting rabbits in Iceland will soon be arriving, Fréttablaðið reports.

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is a viral infection that attacks the internal organs of rabbits, with the liver especially vulnerable (hence its Icelandic name, lifrardrepi, which loosely translates as “liver killer”), and results in massive internal bleeding. While harmless to humans, people can transmit it to rabbits.

The virus has been detected in Iceland amongst wild rabbit populations, and the Food and Veterinary Authority issued a warning last month to owners of pet rabbits to avoid areas known to be populated by wild rabbits, such as Öskjuhlíð and Elliðaárdalur.

It is now reported that a vaccine against the virus will be arriving in Iceland in early May. Rabbit owners in Iceland are asked to contact a vet before April 30th in order to book an appointment for their pet rabbits to be immunised against the virus.