Abstract
The epidemiological significance of age, race, sex, genetic constitution and physiological status were studied by means of a differential analysis of the mortality data derived from a devastating epidemic of rabbit pox and, with the exception of sex, were found to be factors of the utmost importance in the determination of susceptibility. Young animals were more susceptible than adults and although the most susceptible age varied with the epidemic phase, it corresponded in general with the period of weaning. The influence of physiological status was further indicated by the increased susceptibility incident to lactation. Racial variations in susceptibility were obscured by age factors in young animals, but were of profound importance in the adult population and formed the most significant feature of the analysis. A high degree of conformity was found in the susceptibility of racially related breeds, and this similarity in behavior increased with the proximity of relationship. Moreover, a study of the hybrids obtained from the crossing of pure breeds showed that two separable groups of hereditary factors were concerned in the determination of breed susceptibility, one group consisting of essential racial characters, the other of constitutional factors incorporated in the stock by chance association, and that the final expression of susceptibility or resistance was the result of their combined interaction.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.6 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Greene H. S., Hu C. K., Brown W. H. A LETHAL DWARF MUTATION IN THE RABBIT WITH STIGMATA OF ENDOCRINE ABNORMALITY. Science. 1934 May 25;79(2056):487–488. doi: 10.1126/science.79.2056.487. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Greene H. S. RABBIT POX : III. REPORT OF AN EPIDEMIC WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FACTORS. J Exp Med. 1935 May 31;61(6):807–831. doi: 10.1084/jem.61.6.807. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hu C. K., Green H. S. A LETHAL MUTATION IN THE RABBIT WITH STIGMATA OF AN ACROMEGALIC DISORDER. Science. 1935 Jan 4;81(2088):25–26. doi: 10.1126/science.81.2088.25. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rosahn P. D. THE REACTION OF STANDARD BREEDS OF RABBITS TO EXPERIMENTAL SYPHILIS. J Exp Med. 1933 May 31;57(6):907–923. doi: 10.1084/jem.57.6.907. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]