Myxomatosis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Myxoma virus
Myxoma virus (transmission electron microscope)
Virus classification
(unranked):	Virus
Family:	Poxviridae
Genus:	Leporipoxvirus
Species:	Myxoma virus

Myxomatosis is a serious disease that mainly affects rabbits. It's caused by a tiny germ called the Myxoma virus. This virus is part of a group known as poxviruses, specifically from the Leporipoxvirus family.

The Myxoma virus naturally lives in certain types of rabbits. These include the tapeti (also called Sylvilagus brasiliensis) found in South and Central America. It also lives in brush rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani) in North America. In these natural hosts, the virus usually causes only a mild sickness. The rabbits don't get very ill.

However, when the Myxoma virus infects European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), it's a different story. European rabbits are not used to this virus. They get a very severe and often deadly disease. Myxomatosis is a great example for scientists. It shows what happens when a virus "jumps" from an animal that has adapted to it to a new animal that has no natural protection. Because of this, it has been studied a lot.

In the 1950s, the Myxoma virus was intentionally released in some countries. This included Australia, France, and Chile. The goal was to help control the large populations of wild European rabbits. These rabbits were causing a lot of damage to farms and the environment.

Images for kids

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  Rabbits around a waterhole during a myxomatosis test on Wardang Island, Australia in 1938

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  Releasing the myxoma virus in Australia to control rabbit numbers

See also

In Spanish: Mixomatosis para niños