Mxymatosis

[Bonzo 2000]

Can anyone give me some information. A quick search on google only leads to Radiohead sites etc dealing with the song by same name. I know it was introduced to restrict the rabbit population in the past, but is it a manmade virus? We've recently had up to 6 or 8 rabbits in our garden, but they have all disappeared and the local golf club green keeper says there is an outbreak of myxie in our area. I've found one dead one under a bush and the only remaining rabbit has the characteristic half-shut eyes. Any info welcome.

[doglady]

It's not a man made virus, as far as I know. You can find out all about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomatosis.

On the fields where I walk my dogs there was an outbreak a year or so ago, and they ended up gassing all the rabbits, just to get rid of it. There are lots of rabbits there now, so it didn't do the population too much damage!

[clair3934]

Hope this help you a bit

http://www.rguppy.freeserve.co.uk/myxomatosis% 20fact%20sheet.htm

[WendyS]

I think the virus is still very much alive but probably not quite so widespread as it was some years ago. We came across a wild rabbit last year wandering very slowly almost blindly across the open space of a park in Bucks. . I knew immediately there was something wrong with it because it didn't run off and sat so still we could have picked it up. Sadly neither of us had the courage (or a suitable implement) to put it out of its misery. They often go blind and die a horrible death because they can't see to feed or to avoid being preyed upon.

[cjk23]

it IS a manmade virus, and it CAN spread to your domestic bunnies if you ahve any.
it's a horrid thing if youa sk me. There are far better ways to cull a species than make them die the way they do. they SUFFER when they get this.

[Rabelais]

Utter rubbish it is not a manmade virus, it was first reported in Uraguay in 1896. It was then intruduced onto an estate in France to control the local rabbit population by Dr. Paul Armand Delille in 1952, from whence it infected the natural population and spread all over europe arriving in the UK in 1953. In Europe it is transmitted by rabbit fleas and about 50% of the population are resistant. The virus does undergo changes cyclically which causes outbreaks. In Australia where they are plagued by rabbits the disease was introduced as a control measure in the late 30's and released full scale in 1950 since the the virus has attenuated prompting the release of Rabbit calicivirus which causes Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease.

[Tammera]

much to popular belief it can be treated and cured, and then the rabbit will be immune to the virus, if you can catch the rabbit and have a local wildlife hospital, they may offer to treat it, if not and your near aylesbury, st tiggy winkles animal hospital will treat it, if its not to far gone it may be releasable if it gets cured, alot of them though cannot be re released as they go blind and all sort and will not be able to suvive in the wild, therefore they are kept in the hospital grounds in bird averies.