Surveillance of wild animal diseases in Europe

A study of the methods and personnel involved in general surveillance of wild animal diseases in Europe was conducted by correspondence and personal interview in 1993-1994. Twenty-seven of the thirty-six countries contacted participated in the study. A great range was observed in the intensity of surveillance programmes and the details of their organisation. Programmes of comprehensive general surveillance were present in four countries, while eleven countries had general surveillance programmes which were limited to certain geographical regions and/or wild animal species. Twelve countries had no programmes of general wildlife disease surveillance, but had surveillance programmes for one or more specific diseases which included wild animals. Significant information on the occurrence of diseases in wild animals was available in each participating country. Factors found to be important in the structure and function of surveillance programmes were as follows: historical occurrences of rabies, hog cholera (classical swine fever), viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits and the European brown hare syndrome; approaches to wildlife management and relationships between wildlife-oriented field personnel and the surveillance programme; whether or not fees were charged for diagnosis of diseases in wild animal specimens; training and equipment of diagnostic personnel; organisation of wild animal disease data.