Experimental infection of hare (Lepus europaeus) with Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia slovaca.

Hares (Lepus europaeus L.) infected subcutaneously (s.c.) or per os with Coxiella burnetii and s.c. with Rickettsia slovaca overcame an inapparent infection accompanied by irregular rickettsaemia and distribution of rickettsiae to different organs and variable antibody response. Neither riskettsia could be detected in faeces of infected animals, but C. burnetii was found in the urine of one hare, which died on day 13 post infection (p.i.). Antibodies against C. burnetii persisted for one year of observation period, those against R. slovaca up to the 181st day p.i. Based on the results obtained and data on other lagomorph species, the hare could play an important role as host of C. burnetii and R. slovaca in nature.