Myxoma virus | |
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Myxoma virus (transmission electron microscope) | |
Virus classification ![]() | |
(unranked): | Virus |
Realm: | Varidnaviria |
Kingdom: | Bamfordvirae |
Phylum: | Nucleocytoviricota |
Class: | Pokkesviricetes |
Order: | Chitovirales |
Family: | Poxviridae |
Genus: | Leporipoxvirus |
Species: | Myxoma virus
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Myxomatosis is a disease caused by Myxoma virus, a poxvirus in the genus Leporipoxvirus. The natural hosts are tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis) in South and Central America, and brush rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani) in North America. The myxoma virus causes only a mild disease in these species, but causes a severe and usually fatal disease in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Myxomatosis is an example of what occurs when a virus jumps from a species adapted to the virus to a naive host, and has been extensively studied for this reason.[citation needed] The virus was intentionally introduced in Australia, France, and Chile in the 1950s to control wild European rabbit populations.[citation needed]
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