myxomatosis

[ mik-suh-muh-toh-sis ]

noun

1. Pathology.
   1. a condition characterized by the presence of many myxomas.
   2. myxomatous degeneration.
2. Veterinary Pathology. a highly infectious viral disease of rabbits, artificially introduced into Great Britain and Australia to reduce the rabbit population.

myxomatosis

/ ˌmɪksəməˈtəʊsɪs /

noun

1. an infectious and usually fatal viral disease of rabbits characterized by swelling of the mucous membranes and formation of skin tumours; transmitted by flea bites

Word History and Origins

Origin of myxomatosis¹

1925–30; < New Latin myxomat- (stem of myxoma; myx-, -oma ) + -osis

Example Sentences

This gruesome disease came to be known as myxomatosis.

From New York Times

Next, in the 1950s, the introduced virus myxomatosis razed the rabbit population, reducing competition for grain and helping cockatoo populations to flourish.

From New York Times

For example, when the rabbits all over England died of the introduced rabbit disease, myxomatosis, the foxes didn’t have much left to eat, so they began killing the farmers’ chickens.

From Literature

He had coolly—some even said coldly—stood firm during the terrible onslaught of the myxomatosis, ruthlessly driving out every rabbit who seemed to be sickening.

From Literature

The rabbit population has traditionally gone up and down, he said, often due to outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as myxomatosis, a virus introduced into Europe in the 1950s as an agent to control numbers.

From The Guardian