The development of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in Britain
- 1 June 1984
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Epidemiology and Infection
- Vol. 92 (3), 255-261
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022172400064494
Abstract
The presence of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in a sample of wild rabbits from one area in England was reported in 1977. Rabbits from three other areas in Great Britain have been tested subsequently, and all cases showed similar resistance to a moderately virulent strain of myxoma virus. Rabbits from one area also showed a significant degree of resistance to a fully virulent strain of virus. It is concluded that genetic resistance to myxomatosis is widespread in wild rabbit populations in Britain. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to the co-evolution of the disease and its host.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- Coevolution of hosts and parasitesParasitology, 1982
- Innate resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in EnglandEpidemiology and Infection, 1977
- The differential transmissibility of myxoma virus strains of differing virulence grades by the rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale)Epidemiology and Infection, 1975
- Myxomatosis: the virulence of field strains of myxoma virus in a population of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) with high resistance to myxomatosisEpidemiology and Infection, 1975
- Selection for resistance to myxomatosis in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)Epidemiology and Infection, 1969
- MyxomatosisJournal of Animal Ecology, 1966
- Evolutionary changes in myxoma virus in Britain: An examination of 222 in naturally occurring strains obtained from 80 counties during the period October–November 1962Epidemiology and Infection, 1965
- A note on two attenuated strains of myxoma virus isolated in Great BritainEpidemiology and Infection, 1963
- Studies in the epidemiology of infectious myxomatosis of rabbits: VII. The virulence of strains of myxoma virus recovered from Australian wild rabbits between 1951 and 1959Epidemiology and Infection, 1960
- The influence of ambient temperature on the course of myxomatosis in rabbitsEpidemiology and Infection, 1959