Where does Myxomatosis and other virus come from?

[Raisin]

......"The solution was to import a virus which had devastated the rabbit population in South Africa: Myxomatosis (myxo). At one point, myxo had reduced the Australian rabbit population by about 99%. However, due to the legendary rabbit reproduction rate, and an increased resistance to myxo, the virus affected less than a 50% reduction rate by 1990."......


Have a look at http://www.american.edu/TED/rabbit.htm

 

[pamnock]

Here's more info on the diseases. I wasn't sure if you were asking where the diseases originated from or how theyare spread (myxo is spread by insects, VHD is a viral disease that is spread through direct contact or fomites).

Pam



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomatosis

http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/gray_book/FAD/vhd.htm

 

[Raisin]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I just shared info I found on the web as I am looking to maybe import bunnies as we do not have lop eared bunnies in South Africa, and some say that there is a ban on importing.

Thanks

 

[bunnydude]

I believe myxo and VHD were intentionally released into the rabbit population in certain countries to control the population(I know one of those was Australia). If South Africa has a rabbit overpopulation, it is quite possible that they might ban the importing of rabbits and release the two diseases. Are lops the only breed that are banned, or are rabbits in general banned? It would seem a little strange to ban just lops, seeing as they are biologically identical to erect-eared rabbits.

 

[Raisin]

Hi Bunnydude, you are right. They where intentionally released in Australia (according to the article I place in the 1st post) because of over population.

I am doing research on the whole banning of rabbits. I am not sure if they are banned but I spoke to a breeder and he said that rabbits are banned, so now I amcontacting the Import and Export Offices to make sure. Meanwhile I am doing research. It's not only the lops, its all rabbits, but I am specifically looking for a lop eared bun as a friend for my Netherland Dwarf.

In SA we do not need to vaccinate our rabbits which tells me that there are no virusses that can infect our rabbits at the moment and that might be the reason for banning the import of rabbits as it is possible for other imported rabbitsto bring in those virusses..

There are surely not a lot of rabbits / house rabbits at all, so I doubt overpopulation. Our petshops barely caters for rabbits and even the Welfare Centres does not have rabbits to adopt.

 

[pamnock]

Raisin wrote:

In SA we do not need to vaccinate our rabbits which tells me that there are no virusses that can infect our rabbits at the moment and that might be the reason for banning the import of rabbits as it is possible for other imported rabbitsto bring in those virusses..

Not necessarily the case. We have occasional myxo (endemic to our west coast)and VHD outbreaks, but the vaccines are illegal in the US.

Pam

 

[Raisin]

pamnock wrote:

Raisin wrote:

In SA we do not need to vaccinate our rabbits which tells me that there are no virusses that can infect our rabbits at the moment and that might be the reason for banning the import of rabbits as it is possible for other imported rabbitsto bring in those virusses..

Not necessarily the case. We have occasional myxo (endemic to our west coast)and VHD outbreaks, but the vaccines are illegal in the US.

Pam

I have mailed the Import and Export Offices and await a reply on the reasons why we are not allowed to import bunnies (according to the breeder I spoke to).

Strangely I have found requirement documentation on the Internet about importing Rabbits. Bit confused now, but I think I need to speak to the right people first . I will let you know.

Raisin