[Review article: actual danger to the domestic animal populations of exotic animal epidemics].

Most of the formerly important virus diseases like foot-and-mouth disease and enzootic bovine leukosis were eradicated in the Federal Republic of Germany during the recent decades. However, there is a continuous menace of our domestic animal population by exotic virus epidemics related to the concentration of animals in large farms, the intensified international trade of animals and their meat or milk products, and the introduction of a common European market starting in 1992. This view is emphasized by the recent outbreaks of African horse sickness in Spain in 1987/1988. In this article, foot-and-mouth disease and African horse sickness will be described as potentially dangerous virus epidemics. Furthermore, the occurrence of formerly unknown diseases has to be considered. Haemorrhagic disease of rabbits which was recently introduced in Germany is an example of new developments in virus epidemics. These three diseases, their epidemiology and the biology of the corresponding viruses will be discussed in detail.