RS> Its stopped. Not clear why yet. While it got into western NSW very
RS> quickly after it escaped from the island, it hasnt got here yet.

BG> Interesting. Might need seeding to speed things up a bit then.

RS> So far they have decided not to, mainly to do more testing for
RS> any undesirable effects on the local fauna. There were a couple of
RS> odditys from the NZ testing, a couple of native species developed
RS> antibodys which they should not have done, tho no deaths or anything.

BG> Do these antibodies mean that the animal has developed an immunity,

No, it means that the animals immune system reacted to
that virus. It should not have done if the virus doesnt
infect that animal. We dont have antibodys to say dog Parvo.

BG> or that it has become a carrier,

No, antibodies arent the virus itself, its what the body
produces that FIGHTS a virus. So an antibody cant infect anyone.

BG> and is then able to infect other species?

And thats even more confused. The current idea is that rabbit calici
virus is unique to rabbits, cant infect any other species. It doesnt
even infect close ones like hares. What they are currently doing is
testing to see if the rabbit calici virus can infect any native species,
because obviously you dont want one of those to be decimated by it too.

While none of the native species its been tested on have shown any
symptoms, let alone dying like flys, currently it appears that its
just like the absolute vast bulk of viruses, VERY species specific,
normally just infecting ONE species. Its a considerable worry if
any species produces antibodys, coz that indicates that its immune
system reacts to that virus, and normally it shouldnt.

BG> Yeah, it sure spread a hell of a lot more
BG> rapidly than one would normally consider likely.

RS> Yeah, particularly to Broken Hill type regions. The Flinders ranges
RS> could easily have been insects born but the BH is harder to explain.
RS> Corse its also possible its accidentally spread by humans too.

BG> Or, given it's original method of introduction, intentionally.

Presumably you mean the escape from the island, that
certainly wasnt intentional, and the detail of its
spread is consistent with it being insect born.

BG> or for the rabbits to develop an immunity.

RS> They have already, and they have in europe where it came from too.

BG> So in 20 years or so, we'll be right back to square one then? Brilliant.

Not necessarily, it depends on the detail of the virus. You do
get some viruses whose detail means that it keeps the population
well down even when you do get some adults with immunity. We saw
that with humans for example where there is a high enough level of
infant mortality with particular viruses to keep the population
numbers down, and when we vaccinate to fix it, the numbers boom.

BG> Any idea of the time frame involved?

RS> Immediately basically, the ones that didnt die in say the Flinders Ranges.

BG> Do you know if any locally infected rabbits have managed to survive?

Yes, there are survivors in the Flinders Ranges. Corse you
can choose to just kill those with the traditional methods too.

RS> Nope, its just the usual approach of using a virus
RS> with a very high mortality to decimate the population.
RS> It just happened to itself evolve like that in europe etc.

BG> Any idea what it's related to, virus-wise?

There are a range of them in animals. They are all called calici viruses.
None of the others have anything like the mortality tho. And one of them
is far more motile across species barriers too. Which is also a bit of a worry.
@EOT:

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