Species: European hare

The European hare (Lepus europaeus) also known as the brown hare is a member of the Lagomorph order and they are not, therefore, rodents. They can be distinguished by their long ears and large hind legs. They have red-brown to grey fur with a black tail and ear tips and are white on the underside. Originally only found in grasslands, hares are now found in almost all sorts of environments.

More information about the hare (Lepus europaeus) can be found (in Dutch) on the website of the Dutch native mammal research and protection organisation (Zoogdiervereniging).

Disease general

• Encephalitozoon
• European Brown Hare Syndrome (EBHS)
• Toxoplasmosis
• Tularemia – Tularaemia
• Yersiniosis

Research results

• Tularaemia confirmed in the provinces of North Holland, Overijssel and Limburg (18/11/2019)
• Reappearance of tularaemia in the province of Utrecht (30/09/2019)
• Reappearance of tularaemia in the province of Overijssel (24/04/2019)
• Not all hares die due to tularaemia (13/12/2018)
• Unicellular parasite Encephalitozoon in hares (18/10/2018)
• Hare with growth on nose (06/02/2018)
• First case of RHDV-2 in a hare in the Netherlands (12/01/2017)
• Reappearance of tularemia in the central Netherlands (21/10/2016)
• A new case of tularemia in a hare from Friesland (27/01/2016)
• Tularemia also found in hares in Gelderland (16/07/2015)
• Zoonotic diseases in hares (30/04/2015)
• Update: Tularemia in Friesland (20/04/2015)
• Update: Tularemia in Friesland and Overijssel (30/03/2015)
• Hares don’t only get tularemia… (27/03/2015)
• Tularemia also found in hares in Friesland (26/02/2015)
• Tularemia also found in a hare from Utrecht (21/05/2014)
• Poisoning in wildlife (18/01/2012)
• Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in a hare (30/04/2011)

Overige berichten

• Re-emergence of tularemia in Kromme Rijn (19/04/2017)
• Changes to tularemia testing program in 2016 (15/01/2016)

Publications

• Phylogeographic Distribution of Human and Hare Francisella Tularensis Subsp. Holarctica Strains in the Netherlands and Its Pathology in European Brown Hares (Lepus Europaeus). Koene M., J. Rijks, M. Maas, R. Ruuls, M. Engelsma, P.r van Tulden, M. Kik, J. IJzer, D. Notermans, M.de Vries, E. Fanoy, R. Pijnacker, M. Spierenburg, H. Bavelaar, H. Berkhout, S.Sankatsing, R. Diepersloot, K.Myrtennas, M.Granberg, M. Forsman, H.J. Roest & A.Gröne (2019). Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol., 11 February 2019
• Environmental surveillance during an outbreak of tularaemia in hares, the Netherlands, 2015. Janse I. M. Maas, J.M. Rijks, M. Koene, T.Q.J. van der Plaats, M. Engelsma, P. van der Tas, M. Braks, A. Stroo, D.W. Notermans, M.C. de Vries, F. Reubsaet, E. Fanoy, C. Swaan, M.J.L. Kik, J. IJzer, R.I. Jaarsma, S. van Wieren, A.M. de Roda-Husman, M. van Passel, H.J. Roest, J. van der Giessen. Environmental surveillance during an outbreak of tularaemia in hares, the Netherlands, 2015. Euro Surveill. 2017;22(35):pii=30607. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.35.30607
• Tularaemia in a brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in 2013: first case in the Netherlands in 60 years. Rijks J.M., M. Kik, M.G. Koene, M.Y. Engelsma, P van Tulden, M.G. Montizaan, T. Oomen, M.A. Spierenburg, J. IJzer, J.W. van der Giessen, A. Gröne & H.J. Roest. (2013). Euro Surveill. 2013 Dec 5;18(49). pii: 20655. Euro Surveill. 2013 Dec 5;18(49). pii: 20655.