Hemolytic Anemia Associated with Thymoma in the Rabbit

Abstract

We report the presence of an hereditary hemolytic anemia in the X strain of rabbits. This condition is rapidly fatal to both sexes with a mean survival time of 4.75 months. In rare protracted cases it is associated with thymic hyperplasia and thymoma. Because autosomal recessive inheritance is indicated we have assigned the symbol ha to the gene responsible for development of the hemolytic anemia. The possibility exists that it is identical with the gene (Is) conferring susceptibility to lymphosarcoma in strain WH rabbits, since all affected animals in both strains have the same common ancestry in strain X. A common gene responsible for all conditions may have phenotypic expressions which are dependent on the host genotype. Breeding experiments are in progress to test this hypothesis.