A study carried out on 15 free-living populations of wild rabbits showed that VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease) antibodies were present in all these populations. The nonspecificity of these antibodies does not enable to conclude that VHD was present in all these populations. However, our results suggest that most wild populations are partially protected against VHD either directly by VHD virus, or by VHD-like and non-pathogenic viruses. Moreover, the presence of antibodies on uninhabited islands allows to formulate certain hypotheses about the spread of these viruses.Resume. -Une etude menee au sein de 15 populations sauvages de lapin de garenne a mis en evidence la presence d'anticorps VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease) dans toutes ces populations. Le manque de specificite de ces anticorps ne permet pas de certifier la presence de VHD dans toutes ces populations. Toutefois, ces resultats suggerent que la majorite des populations sauvages sont partiellement protegees centre la VHD, soit directement par le virus de la VHD, soit par des virus apparentes et non pathogenes. En outre, la presence d'anticorps en milieu insulaire inliabite permet d'evoquer certaines hypotheses relatives au mode de transmission de ces virus.

No abstract