Myxomatosis in a Californian Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)

SINCE myxomatosis was first reported near San Diego in 1930 1,2 there have been sporadic outbreaks of the disease in commercial rabbitries along the coast at least as far north as San Francisco. Sharp outbreaks of a disease highly lethal for European rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) have been interspersed with long quiescent periods ; a pattern which suggests that the disease is maintained elsewhere than in European rabbits used for commercial purposes. Although it has been suggested 2,3 that wild rabbits ( Sylvilagus spp.) might be the reservoir, this has never been demonstrated.