Rabbit haemorrhagic disease:Macquarie Island rabbit eradication adds to knowledge on both pest control and epidemiology
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), introduced into in Australia and New Zealand as a biological-control agent for wild rabbits, is least efficacious in cool humid areas where a non-pathogenic calicivirus (RCV-A1) also circulates. Heavy rabbit mortality following release of RHDV on cold sub-An...
Published in: | Wildlife Research |
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Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2017
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/publications/76f7615a-d4c8-4021-8a7b-ff18f28cc1ef https://doi.org/10.1071/WR16221 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020554766&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
Summary: | Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), introduced into in Australia and New Zealand as a biological-control agent for wild rabbits, is least efficacious in cool humid areas where a non-pathogenic calicivirus (RCV-A1) also circulates. Heavy rabbit mortality following release of RHDV on cold sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island, where RCV-A1 was apparently absent, not only complemented the planned rabbit eradication operations, especially by reducing secondary poisoning of sea-birds from aerial baiting, but also ruled out cool or humid climate as a major limiting factor of disease spread. In turn, this has advanced the idea that RCV-A1 antibodies inhibit RHDV spread as well as reducing disease severity and mortality. |
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