PCR-BASED PROTOCOL TESTING FOR RABBIT MYXOMATOSIS VIRAL DNA DETECTION

Myxomatosis is an acute viral disease of rabbits caused by Myxoma virus, poxvirus belonging to the genus Leporipoxvirus. The natural hosts of this pathogen are tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), and brush rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani) in in South and Central America, as well as in North America, respectively. The virus of myxoma develops only a mild disease in those species, but in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) occurred the fatal disease.The disease is endemic in many European, Asian and American countries, but the agent is still recognized as an emergent infection, associated with mass losses and high mortality in European rabbits.One Health Scientific and Research Institute, PSI in collaboration with SRI ‘Veterinary Biotechnologies’, LLC were developed the methodical approach for detection of the DNA of MYXV using Real-Time PCR due the reason of enhancement of myxomatosis control measures in Ukraine.