Investigation of the Role of the European Brown Hare in the Epidemiology of Bacterial Zoonotic Pathogens: A Serological and Molecular Survey in Greece.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence ofspp,spp,, andin European Brown hares () hunter harvested during 2-year hunting periods in northern and central Greece. Serum samples were examined for the presence of IgG antibodies by using an immune fluorescence test and/or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PCR was used to detectspp DNA in blood samples andspp,, andin liver samples. Antibodies againstspp were detected in 12 hares (12/105); whereas none of the hares examined was seropositive forspp, andThe presence ofspp,spp,, andDNA was not detected in the samples examined. This study did not provide any evidence that the European Brown hare is involved in the epidemiology ofspp, andin Greece. However, our results suggest that this species is exposed tospp, which gives the impetus for further investigation of its role as another host of this bacterium.