Emerging disease hare myxomatosis continues to be monitored in 2025

Since August last year, the number of reports of sick hares with swollen eyes that often appeared blind and collapsed has increased (see https://dwhc.nl/en/2024/11/current-situation-of-the-research-on-hares/). After post-mortem investigation, the disease turned out to be caused by a new variant of the myxomatosis virus that had previously only been identified in rabbits and the Iberian hare in Spain and Portugal. In the Netherlands, many hares died from this emerging disease last year, mainly in the province of Gelderland and Overijssel, but also in the province of Limburg and Groningen.

This year, we still keep a close eye on where the virus occurs and thus monitor any further spread. Hence, we ask for your cooperation with the monitoring again. You can help by reporting sick and dead hares including sending us a photo, and if possible sending in fresh specimens for post-mortem investigation. Even if the animal cannot be sent in, a report provides us with important information and insight.

Handling carcasses or sick hares

Never touch dead animals with bare hands. Myxomatosis is not a zoonosis, and is therefore in principle not dangerous to humans. However, dead hares can contain other pathogens that are dangerous to humans, such as tularemia (hare plague: https://dwhc.nl/en/?s=tularemie).

• Sick hare: please report to the animal ambulance.
• Hare, freshly dead (less than 24 hours): double-wrap the hare in plastic and store in a cool place. Please report for examination We will determine each day which animals can be collected for examination. You will hear from us as soon as possible.
• Hare, dead for more than 24 hours: double-wrap the hare in plastic and dispose of it with the residual waste. Please report for insight.