Rabbit Virus

The rabbit in this country may suffer from only four diseasesdue to viruses. Three are extremely rare, being a particulartype of tumour, encephalo-myelitis and a disease that has beentermed Weybridge disease. The other is myxomatosis.Myxomatosis was first described in 1898 in Montevideo as ahighly fatal infectious disease. Attempts were made to introduceit into Australia to kill off the wild rabbit there, but theseattempts were unsuccessful until recent years. In 1953 thedisease was introduced into France where vast numbers ofdomestic rabbits were killed off, as well as wild rabbits. DuringOctober 1953 the disease appeared in England, and thenspread over the entire country killing off a very large proportion of the wild rabbit, although attacking very few domesticrabbits. The reason why so few outbreaks occurred amongstdomestic stock is probably that the disease is spread verylargely by the rabbit flea, which rarely comes into contact withthe domestic rabbit. In some outbreaks in domestic rabbitries,the mosquito was proved to be the carrier.

After a rabbit has been infected by a biting insect carryingthe virus, the eyelids swell considerably, eventually completelyclosing over the eye. Swellings may occur on other parts of thebody, particularly at the base of the ears. Death follows inalmost all cases within at most some twelve days of infection,although there are some rare cases of recovery.

In this country a vaccine was prepared and protected manyanimals, but its use has decreased with the decrease of the wildrabbit, and consequently the smaller source of infection. Theelimination of all biting insects from the rabbitry gives excellentprotection, and it is unlikely that much trouble from thisdisease will arise in the future.