Frölich Kai, Wisser Jutta, Schmüser Heiko, Fehlberg Ulrich, Neubauer Heinrich, Grunow Roland, Nikolaou Konstantin, Priemer Jürgen, Thiede Svenja, Streich Wolf Jürgen, Speck Stephanie
Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, P.O. Box 601103, D-10252 Berlin, Germany.
J Wildl Dis. 2003 Oct;39(4):751-61. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-39.4.751.
From 1997-99 European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) population densities were estimated by spotlight surveys within different areas in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. These areas showed a wide variation in local hare population densities. In addition, red fox (Vulpes vulpes) densities were estimated in 1997 by surveys of fox dens and litters. Sera of 321 hares (shot between 1998-2000) from four study areas were examined for antibodies against European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Yersinia spp. (n = 299) and Francisella tularensis (n = 299) by western blotting, Brucella spp. by Rose Bengal test, and Toxoplasma gondii by Sabin-Feldman test (n = 318). Tissue samples comprising lung, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, and adrenal glands were collected for histopathology. Liver (n = 201) and spleen (n = 201) samples were processed for the detection of T. gondii-antigen in tissue sections and 321 liver and spleen samples were investigated for EBHSV-antigen by ELISA. Furthermore, 116 hares were examined macro- and microscopically for lungworms. Significant negative correlations between hare and fox densities were found in spring and autumn 1997. Antibodies against EBHSV were detected in 92 of 321 (29%), against Yersinia spp. in 163 of 299 (55%), and against T. gondii in 147 of 318 (46%) hares. We evaluated the potential influence of origin and hunting season on exposure rates of hares using logistic regression analysis. A strong association between hare densities and exposure rates was observed for various agents. One hundred and eight of 201 (57%) hares were positive for T. gondii-antigen. All sera were negative for antibodies against Brucella spp. and F. tularensis and all lung samples were negative for lungworms. In conclusion, variation in red fox densities may have an impact on the hare populations examined and the infectious diseases we studied seem to play a subordinate role in the dynamics of European brown hare populations from Schleswig-Holstein.
1997年至1999年期间，通过聚光灯调查对德国石勒苏益格－荷尔斯泰因州不同区域的欧洲棕兔（Lepus europaeus）种群密度进行了估算。这些区域的当地野兔种群密度差异很大。此外，1997年通过对狐狸洞穴和幼崽的调查估算了赤狐（Vulpes vulpes）的密度。采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测了来自四个研究区域的321只野兔（于1998年至2000年期间射杀）血清中针对欧洲棕兔综合征病毒（EBHSV）的抗体，采用蛋白质印迹法检测了299只野兔血清中针对耶尔森菌属（Yersinia spp.）和土拉弗朗西斯菌（Francisella tularensis）的抗体，采用虎红试验检测了野兔血清中针对布鲁氏菌属（Brucella spp.）的抗体，采用Sabin - Feldman试验检测了318只野兔血清中针对刚地弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）的抗体。收集了包括肺、肝、脾、肾、心脏和肾上腺的组织样本用于组织病理学检查。对201份肝脏样本和201份脾脏样本进行处理，以检测组织切片中的刚地弓形虫抗原，并采用ELISA法对321份肝脏和脾脏样本进行EBHSV抗原检测。此外，对116只野兔进行了大体和显微镜检查以查找肺线虫。在1997年春季和秋季发现野兔和狐狸密度之间存在显著的负相关。在321只野兔中有92只（29%）检测到针对EBHSV的抗体，在299只野兔中有163只（55%）检测到针对耶尔森菌属的抗体，在318只野兔中有147只（46%）检测到针对刚地弓形虫的抗体。我们采用逻辑回归分析评估了野兔来源和狩猎季节对其暴露率的潜在影响。观察到野兔密度与多种病原体的暴露率之间存在密切关联。201只野兔中有108只（57%）的刚地弓形虫抗原检测呈阳性。所有血清中针对布鲁氏菌属和土拉弗朗西斯菌的抗体检测均为阴性，所有肺样本中肺线虫检测也均为阴性。总之，赤狐密度的变化可能会对所研究的野兔种群产生影响，而且我们所研究的传染病在石勒苏益格－荷尔斯泰因州欧洲棕兔种群动态中似乎起次要作用。
