Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Myxoma virus in the European rabbit: interactions between the virus and its susceptible host.
- Journal:
- Veterinary research
- Year:
- 2007
- Authors:
- Stanford, Marianne M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Robarts Research Institute · United Kingdom
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
Myxoma virus is a type of virus that can cause a serious disease called myxomatosis in European rabbits. Although this virus doesn't normally infect rabbits, it can trick their immune system and lead to a severe and often deadly illness. Researchers are studying how the proteins from this virus interact with the rabbit's immune system, which helps us understand how similar viruses might cause disease in other animals. This review focuses on the specific proteins that the myxoma virus uses to disrupt the rabbit's immune response. Overall, this research aims to shed light on the complex relationship between the virus and its rabbit host.
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MV) is a poxvirus that evolved in Sylvilagus lagomorphs, and is the causative agent of myxomatosis in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). This virus is not a natural pathogen of O. cuniculus, yet is able to subvert the host rabbit immune system defenses and cause a highly lethal systemic infection. The interaction of MV proteins and the rabbit immune system has been an ideal model to help elucidate host/poxvirus interactions, and has led to a greater understanding of how other poxvirus pathogens are able to cause disease in their respective hosts. This review will examine how MV causes myxomatosis, by examining a selection of the identified immunomodulatory proteins that this virus expresses to subvert the immune and inflammatory pathways of infected rabbit hosts.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17296158/