Serologic Survey of Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americanus) in the Greater Yellowstone Area for Brucellosis, Tularemia, and Snowshoe Hare Virus

Authors

Jack Rhyan, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, ColoradoFollow
Dan Tyers, US Forest Service, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Northem Rockies Science Center, Bozeman, Montana
Jeremy Zimmer, US Forest Service, Custer Gallatin National Forest, Gardiner Ranger District, Gardiner, Montana
Kristen Lewandowski, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Steve Hennager, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, Iowa
John Young, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Bome Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado
Ryan Pappert, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Bome Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado
Amanda Panella, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Bome Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado
Olga Kosoy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Bome Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 51(3), 2015, pp. 769-773

Comments

U.S. Government Work

Abstract

We examined sera from snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) livetrapped in the northern Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA), US, for antibodies to Brucella abortus, Francisella tularensis, and snowshoe hare virus (SSHV). Zero of 90, 0 of 67, and 40 of 100 samples were antibody positive for B. abortus, F. tularensis, and SSHV, respectively. Hares were trapped from 2009 to 2012, and of the six animals that were captured twice with at least 1 yr between captures, four developed antibody to SSHV, indicating active exposure to the agent, These findings suggest snowshoe hares in the GYA do not play a significant role as a reservoir of B. abortus, but do maintain the zoonotic, encephalitic SSHV in the population.