Clinical evolution and diagnosis of an outbreak of European brown hare syndrome in hares reared in captivity

Abstract

The authors studied an outbreak of an acute form of European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) in captive hares. The farm involved had shown negative results in a previous serological test for EBHS conducted on approximately 8% of the animals. Hares which succumbed during the outbreak were submitted to an anatomo-pathological examination and the livers of these animals were collected for laboratory analysis. Examination by immunoelectron microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay confirmed the diagnosis of EBHS virus (EBHSV). An initial serological survey conducted on the survivors twenty-two days after the outbreak demonstrated an immunological response against EBHSV. During the outbreak, data were collected on morbidity, mortality, incidence of the disease in various age groups, and also on the antigenic characteristics of the virus responsible for the outbreak.