Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in rabbit haemorrhagic disease

Seven rabbits experimentally infected with rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus were examined haematologically and histologically. Haematologically, activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were markedly prolonged in the terminal phase of the disease, just prior to death (all the animals died between 27 and 40 hr after inoculation with rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus). There was an increase in the titre of fibrin degradation products and a decrease in antithrombin III activity during the same interval. Acute necrotic hepatitis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in many organs, including the lung, kidney, spleen and heart were the characteristic histopathological changes. Thus, the haematological and histological changes suggested that DIC was induced by rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus infection. Severe liver necrosis was considered to be a factor causing DIC by inducing a hypercoagulable condition in the systemic blood circulation.