Contact transmission of infectious myxomatosis of the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.)

Abstract

Various factors possibly involved in the contact transmission of infectious myxomatosis of rabbits have been studied. The louse Haemodipsus ventricosus (Denny) and the mite Cheyletiella parasitivorax (Megnin) were shown to be capable of transmitting the disease, though their efficiency as vectors must be considered of a low order. It was also shown that the disease could be transmitted by prolonged flank-to-flank contact between sick and healthy rabbits, by contamination of the pads of the forefeet with the virus, and by sexual activity. Field observations suggest that two parasitic mites, Bdellonyssus bacoti Hirst and Schongastia antipodianum (Hirst), might play a vector role in the field.