Biological control of vertebrate pests : the history of myxomatosis, an experiment in evolution / Frank Fenner and Bernardino Fantini.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fenner, Frank, 1914-2010.

Contributor:

Fantini, Bernardino.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Myxomatosis--History.

Myxomatosis.

Vertebrate pests--Biological control.

Vertebrate pests.

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 339 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Wallingford, UK ; New York : CABI Pub., [1999]

Summary:

Biological control is a common and cost-effective way of controlling insect pests and weeds, but it has been ineffective for the control of vertebrate pests. The only successful examples are the use of myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus to control rabbits in Australia. This book provides an authoritative account of biological control of vertebrate pests in general and of myxomatosis in particular. It describes in detail the natural history of myxoma virus in American rabbits and the history of its introduction into European rabbits. The changes in rabbit and virus over the period of forty years provide a classic example of the coevolution of a virus and its host. The book then describes rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, which has been spreading in Australia for only three years but is proving an effective means to control pests. The book is a useful resource for veterinarians, zoologists, pest management scientists, and historians of science.

Contents:

1 Pest Animals and Plants 1

What is a Pest? 1

The Acclimatization of Animals and Plants 4

Measures to Counteract Pests 6

Traditional Methods of Pest Control 7

Biological Control 9

Evaluation of Pest Control Strategies 9

History of Methods of Control of Rabbits 9

2 The Rabbit 13

The Family Leporidae 14

The Spread of the Rabbit 15

Wild Rabbits as a Resource 24

Rabbit Control in New Zealand 25

Rabbit Control in South America 29

Early Attempts to Control Rabbits in Australia 29

The Economics of Rabbit Control in Australia 35

3 Biological Control of Pests 39

Pasteur's Germ Theory and the Idea of 'Life against Life' 39

The Concept of the Biological Control of Pests 40

Biological Control of Bacterial Diseases 41

Biological Control of Insect Pests 44

Biological Control of Weeds 45

Biological Control of Vertebrate Pests 47

Integrated Pest Management 52

Early Proposals for Biological Control of Rabbits in Australia 53

The Visit to Australia of Dr Jean Danysz 58

4 The Discovery of Myxoma Virus 65

The Development of the Concept of 'Virus' 66

The Discovery of Myxomatosis in Montevideo, Uruguay 66

The Classification of Myxoma Virus 67

Further Studies of South American Strains of Myxoma Virus 70

Myxomatosis in Western United States 76

Other Comparisons of Myxoma Viruses from the Americas 79

Mechanisms of Transmission of Myxomatosis 80

5 The Disease Myxomatosis in the European Rabbit 93

Clinical Signs 94

Assay Methods for Virus 98

Methods of Assaying Antibodies 100

Comparisons of Other Characteristics of Leporipoxviruses 101

Pathogenesis of Myxomatosis 102

Immunization against Myxomatosis 108

6 The Introduction of Myxomatosis into Australia 116

Aragao's Proposal to Use Myxoma Virus for Rabbit Control 117

Early Field Trials in Europe: 1936-1938 118

Australian Investigations of Myxomatosis: 1934-1943 119

The Establishment of the Wildlife Survey Section of CSIRO 130

Preliminary Discussions about the Work of the Wildlife Survey Section 132

Field Trials by the Wildlife Survey Section, 1950 134

The Escape: Spread throughout South-Eastern Australia, 1951 138

Reasons for the Failure to Use Myxoma Virus Earlier 143

7 Myxomatosis in Australia: 1952 to 1966 151

Spread of Myxomatosis: Spring 1951 to Winter 1955 152

Providing Information to the Public 158

Inoculation Campaigns 159

Field Studies of Vectors 166

Proposal to Introduce the European Rabbit Flea 171

Myxomatosis in Victoria: 1957-1966 171

Tests on the Virulence of Field Isolates, 1951-1967 172

Changes in the Genetic Resistance of Rabbits, 1953-1966 173

The Proposal to Vaccinate Rabbits in Commercial Rabbitries with Fibroma Virus 175

Effects of Myxomatosis on Agricultural Production 177

8 Myxomatosis in Australia: 1967 to 1997 180

Inoculation Campaigns 181

Introduction of the European Rabbit Flea (Spilopsyllus cuniculi) 181

The Introduction of Xenopsylla cunicularis from Spain 189

Changes in Administrative Arrangements and Research Scientists 189

Changes in the Virulence of Myxoma Virus 191

Changes in the Resistance of the Rabbit 194

Environmental Factors Affecting the Severity of Myxomatosis 199

The Source of Myxoma Virus in the Field, and the Question of Latency and Reactivation 200

Overall Effectiveness of Myxomatosis 200

New Initiatives: Immunocontraception for Rabbit Control 202

9 Myxomatosis in France 211

Introduction into France 211

Attitude to Rabbits in France 213

Official Action on Myxomatosis 214

Clinical Features of Myxomatosis as Seen in France 215

The Spread of Myxomatosis in France 216

Changes in the Virulence of the Virus 220

10 Myxomatosis Elsewhere in Europe 223

Introduction of Myxomatosis into the Heisker Islands, Scotland, July 1952 223

Spread of Myxomatosis from France 224

Myxomatosis in the UK 225

Myxomatosis in Spain 232

Myxomatosis in Other Countries in Continental Europe 233

11 The Use of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus for Rabbit Control 236

The Discovery and Spread of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus 237

Classification and Properties of Caliciviruses 239

Clinical Features of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease 241

Pathology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease 243

Clinical Diagnosis 243

Laboratory Diagnosis 243

Development of Vaccines 244

Epidemiology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease 244

Proposal to Use RHDV for Biological Control in Australia and New Zealand 246

Laboratory Tests on Australian and New Zealand Native Fauna 249

Committees to Oversee Field Testing and Release 250

Field Test on Wardang Island 253

Subsequent Spread of RHDV and Planned Releases 258

Introduction of RHDV into New Zealand 265

Public Concern about the Release of RHDV 265

Possible Adverse Effects on People 266

Potential Adverse Effects on the Environment 268

The Future of RHDV as a Biological Control Agent 268

12 Ecological and Environmental Effects of Biological Control of Rabbits 273

Ecological and Environmental Effects of Myxomatosis in Australia 274

Ecological and Environmental Effects of Myxomatosis in Europe 281

13 Theoretical Aspects of Microbial Control of Vertebrate Pests 287

The Concept of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases 287

Koch's Postulates as Applied to Viruses 288

Problems of Host Range

Breadth or 'Switching' 289

Variability among Myxoma Virus Strains in the Americas 292

Innate Resistance versus Acquired Immunity 292

Immunosuppression by Myxoma Virus 295

Effects of Age of Host on Severity of Disease 296

Effects of Temperature on Severity of Disease 296

Molecular Aspects of Virulence 297

Is Mean Survival Time a Good Surrogate for Lethality? 297

The Interplay between Virulence and Transmissibility 298

Comparison of Biological and Mechanical Transmission by Arthropods 299

Overwintering of Myxoma Virus 300

Eradication or Control 301

Effectiveness of Biological Control of Vertebrate Pests 302

14 Coevolution of Parasites and Hosts 306

General Considerations on Coevolution 306

Resistance of Humans to Infectious Diseases 307

Immune Evasion: Coevolution of Virus and Cell at the Molecular Level 309

The Relationship between Resistance, Virulence and Transmissibility 311

Coevolution of Leporipoxviruses and Sylvilagus spp. in the Americas 312

Coevolution of Host Resistance and Viral Virulence in Myxoma Virus Infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus 314

Modelling of Coevolution in Myxomatosis in Oryctolagus cuniculus 318

Coevolution of the Spilopsyllus cuniculi and Oryctolagus cuniculus 320

Coevolution of Plants Containing Fluoroacetate and Native Animals in Western Australia 321.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0851993230

OCLC:

40408859