A serological survey of sera from domestic animals on Easter Island.

Animals' sera collected on Easter Island from December 1964 to February 1965 were tested by appropriate methods for the presence of antibodies to various infections. These included, ornithosis, Q-fever, brucellosis, Johne's disease, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis and vesicular stomatitis viruses. It appeared that the cattle and sheep were exposed to the ornithosis group of agents. The sheep were also exposed to toxoplasmosis. The low-grade reactions observed on the cattle sera with the leptospira and brucella antigens were not sufficient to indicate past infection. All sera tested with Q-fever and Johne's disease antigens gave negative reactions. The results suggested that neither strain of vesicular stomatitis virus had yet been introduced into this restricted animal population.