Graves S R, Edmonds J W, Shepherd R C
Br J Vener Dis. 1980 Dec;56(6):381-6. doi: 10.1136/sti.56.6.381.
Sera from 608 wild rabbits were examined using serological tests for syphilis as an indicator of infection with Treponema paraluis-cuniculi. Only eight sera gave positive or weakly positive results in the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, and none of these eight sera gave positive results in the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA). Thus, it appears that wild rabbit populations in Victoria, Australia, are not naturally infected with T paraluis-cuniculi. Normal Australian laboratory rabbits however were readily infected with T paraluis-cuniculi, either by intradermal or intratesticular inoculation or by the venereal route. In the latter case, treponeme-containing lesions developed after about five months' cohabitation with infected mates. The disease was successfully transmitted from male to female and from female to male rabbits by the venereal route. In most cases infected rabbits became RPR-positive (17/19 rabbits) and in all cases TPHA-positive (19/19), indicating that serological tests for syphilis can be used to screen rabbits for this disease.
使用梅毒血清学检测作为感染兔梅毒螺旋体的指标，对608只野兔的血清进行了检测。在快速血浆反应素（RPR）试验中，只有8份血清呈阳性或弱阳性结果，且这8份血清在梅毒螺旋体血凝试验（TPHA）中均未呈阳性结果。因此，澳大利亚维多利亚州的野兔种群似乎未自然感染兔梅毒螺旋体。然而，正常的澳大利亚实验兔很容易感染兔梅毒螺旋体，可通过皮内接种、睾丸内接种或性传播途径感染。在后一种情况下，与感染的配偶同居约五个月后会出现含螺旋体的病变。该病通过性传播途径成功地从雄兔传播到雌兔，也从雌兔传播到雄兔。在大多数情况下，感染的兔子RPR呈阳性（19只兔子中有17只），且在所有情况下TPHA呈阳性（19/19），这表明梅毒血清学检测可用于筛查兔的这种疾病。
