A SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR SOME BACTERIAL AND VIRAL ZOONOSES IN GAME ANIMALS IN THE CZECH-REPUBLIC

Between 1986 and 1991, sera were collected from 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 24 red deer (Cervus elaphus), four fallow deer (Dama dama ), two mouflon (Ovis musimon), 34 wild boars (Sus scrofa), and 48 hare s (Lepus europaeus) shot in two areas of the Czech Republic. Collectiv ely, the sera contained antibodies to Coxiella burnetii (prevalence of 12%), Francisella tularensis (4%), Brucella spp. (2%), Central Europe an tick-borne encephalitis virus (8%), Tahyna (California serogroup) v irus (36%), and Calovo (=Batai) virus (23%). We propose that these mam mals may play a role in maintaining natural foci of Q-fever, Tahyna fe ver and Calovo virus infection.