EUROPEAN BROWN HARE SYNDROME IN NORTHERN ITALY - RESULTS OF A VIROLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL SURVEY

Between August 1988 and August 1991, 456 carcasses of captive or sylva tic hares from several areas of northern Italy, and 931 sera taken fro m adult hares in farms, in hunting and natural reserves and on importa tion were examined using virological (sandwich enzyme-linked immunosor bent assay [ELISA] and immuno-electron microscopy) and serological (co mpetition ELISA) tests. The epidemiological data presented relate to t he incidence of European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) in various provinc es of northern Italy, the mortality caused by EBHS and the seasonal fr equency of this disease. The endemic character of EBHS in Italy is pro ved by the large number of samples testing positive for EBHS virus (EB HSV) (47.6%) and by the results of the seroepidemiological survey, in which approximately 95% of samples tested positive for specific anti-E BHSV antibodies, showing varying titres according to the different env ironmental conditions.