Artois M, Aubert M, Blancou J, Barrat J, Poulle M L, Stahl P
Centre national d'études vétérinaires et alimentaires - Laboratoire d'études sur la rage et la pathologie des animaux sauvages, Malzéville, France.
Ann Rech Vet. 1991;22(2):163-72.
Red fox behavioural ecology was studied in a rabies-enzootic area in order to determine how population size is balanced despite rabies-induced mortality. The results suggest that the red fox rabies virus equilibrium evolves, and is due to the solitary behaviour pattern of the fox which reduces the risk of virus transmission from on territory to another; and to the subsequent autumn dispersal, which allows the local fox population to recover in the space of under a year. The hypothesis is put forward that rabies does not seem to regulate fox population size. There would therefore be no reason to fear a population explosion after oral immunisation of foxes against rabies.
为了确定尽管有狂犬病导致的死亡情况，红狐种群数量是如何保持平衡的，人们在一个狂犬病地方流行区对红狐的行为生态学进行了研究。结果表明，红狐狂犬病病毒平衡是动态变化的，这归因于狐狸的独居行为模式，该模式降低了病毒在领地之间传播的风险；以及随后秋季的扩散行为，这使得当地红狐种群能在不到一年的时间内恢复。研究提出了这样一个假说：狂犬病似乎并未对红狐种群数量起到调控作用。因此，没有理由担心对狐狸进行狂犬病口服免疫后会出现种群爆炸的情况。
