4 ms·

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, killing and trapping, will not and do not work. It is all but impossible for the virus to mutate to infe

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, killing and trapping, will not and do not work. It is all but impossible for the virus to mutate to infect a desired species.

farseer 9y ago
Are you telling us this particular virus cannot mutate? Because spreading it to a large population of target host species confined on an island would present plenty of opportunity for mutation.
- quixoticelixer- 9y ago
  And to what animals would it mutate to?
- eesmith 9y ago
  That would indeed be a silly claim as RHDV1 K5 is itself a strain - a mutation - of RHDV1. It was found in a rabbit farm in South Korea. The claim is that it is all but impossible for this strain to mutate to infect another species. Not that it's impossible for the strain to mutate. RHDV1 is already endemic in Europe and elsewhere. There are plenty of opportunities for that virus to mutate. None of the mutations affect anything other than the European rabbit.
  - pankajdoharey 9y ago
    I dont think it is a correct claim, the current form of HIV has mutated from a similar virus found in Guerillas. The first anti biotic was produced from cowpox boils. It is the same principle Other species can contract a mutated version of the virus, spreading it in such a large scale posits a threat because we dont understand ecology enough.
    - eesmith 9y ago
      "All but impossible" means "very nearly impossible", not "impossible." Certainly there are diseases which can cross the species barrier. Foot-and-mouth disease, quoting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-and-mouth_disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-and-mouth_disease , can infect "cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs,[4][5] antelope, deer, and bison. It has also been known to infect hedgehogs and elephants;[3][6] llamas and alpacas may develop mild symptoms, but are resistant to the disease and do not pass it on to others of the same species.[3] In laboratory experiments, mice, rats, and chickens have been successfully infected by artificial means, but they are not believed to contract the disease under natural conditions.[3] Humans are very rarely infected." On the other hand, some diseases are species-specific. Smallpox and polio are two humans diseases which are not transmitted to other animals, which has helped us eradicate (or nearly so) those diseases. RHDV1 K5 appears to be in the latter category, in that it has not been seen to infect even other species of rabbit, much less more distantly related animals.
      - pankajdoharey 9y ago
        Thats a valid point if it has been observed in lab conditions. i still feel its not entirely safe, but if it has been tested as you say on a smaller group then probably this risk can be taken.

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, killing and trapping, will not and do not work. It is all but impossible for the virus to mutate to infect a desired species.

farseer 9y ago

Are you telling us this particular virus cannot mutate? Because spreading it to a large population of target host species confined on an island would present plenty of opportunity for mutation.

quixoticelixer- 9y ago
And to what animals would it mutate to?
eesmith 9y ago
That would indeed be a silly claim as RHDV1 K5 is itself a strain - a mutation - of RHDV1. It was found in a rabbit farm in South Korea. The claim is that it is all but impossible for this strain to mutate to infect another species. Not that it's impossible for the strain to mutate. RHDV1 is already endemic in Europe and elsewhere. There are plenty of opportunities for that virus to mutate. None of the mutations affect anything other than the European rabbit.
- pankajdoharey 9y ago
  I dont think it is a correct claim, the current form of HIV has mutated from a similar virus found in Guerillas. The first anti biotic was produced from cowpox boils. It is the same principle Other species can contract a mutated version of the virus, spreading it in such a large scale posits a threat because we dont understand ecology enough.
  - eesmith 9y ago
    "All but impossible" means "very nearly impossible", not "impossible." Certainly there are diseases which can cross the species barrier. Foot-and-mouth disease, quoting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-and-mouth_disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-and-mouth_disease , can infect "cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs,[4][5] antelope, deer, and bison. It has also been known to infect hedgehogs and elephants;[3][6] llamas and alpacas may develop mild symptoms, but are resistant to the disease and do not pass it on to others of the same species.[3] In laboratory experiments, mice, rats, and chickens have been successfully infected by artificial means, but they are not believed to contract the disease under natural conditions.[3] Humans are very rarely infected." On the other hand, some diseases are species-specific. Smallpox and polio are two humans diseases which are not transmitted to other animals, which has helped us eradicate (or nearly so) those diseases. RHDV1 K5 appears to be in the latter category, in that it has not been seen to infect even other species of rabbit, much less more distantly related animals.
    - pankajdoharey 9y ago
      Thats a valid point if it has been observed in lab conditions. i still feel its not entirely safe, but if it has been tested as you say on a smaller group then probably this risk can be taken.