The Invasiveness of the Genus Sylvilagus in Massachusetts and the Resulting Increase in Human Allergen Sensitization to Rabbits

Patients in a community allergist’s office who were seen for rhinosinusitis symptoms had positive skin prick tests (SPT) to rabbit epithelia. Conclusions We hypothesize that the increasing level of positive SPT results is from airborne exposure to rabbit proteins from increasing S. floridanus population. Besides allergic rhinosinusitis symptoms, rabbits are also known to spread other vector-borne diseases such as the tularemia outbreak in Martha’s Vineyard in 2000.