Myxomatosis: the effects of annual introductions of an immunizing strain and a highly virulent strain of myxoma virus into rabbit populations at Urana, N.S.W.

Abstract

A very attenuated strain of myxomatosis was introduced annually into two rabbit populations from 1978 to 1980, to protect susceptible rabbits from the effects of the field strains of myxomatosis. Within 2 years one population had increased by a factor of eight and the other by a factor of 12. The results indicate that myxomatosis is still an important factor in suppressing those populations of rabbits. After 4 years of introducing a highly virulent strain of myxomatosis into two populations the number of adult rabbits had not declined.