Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi found in 67% of pet rabbits
By Dipineto, L et al.·Published in Zoonoses and public health·2008·Dipartimento di Patologia e Sanità, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Serological survey for antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi in pet rabbits in Italy.
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A group of pet rabbits in Southern Italy were tested for a parasite called Encephalitozoon cuniculi, which can cause symptoms like head tilt, difficulty walking, paralysis, cataracts, and increased thirst and urination. Out of 125 rabbits, 78 showed these symptoms, and 84 of them tested positive for the parasite. The study found that older rabbits (over 4 months) were more likely to have the infection compared to younger ones. This highlights the importance of regular health checks for pet rabbits to catch this parasite early, as it can also affect humans.
People also search for: rabbit head tilt treatment · Encephalitozoon cuniculi symptoms in rabbits · pet rabbit health check importance
Abstract
Pet rabbits (n = 125) from Southern Italy were submitted to a serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a carbon immunoassay (CIA). Seventy-eight examined rabbits showed clinical signs suggestive of encephalitozoonosis (head tilt, ataxia, paralysis, cataracts, uveitis, polyuria and polydipsia), whereas 47 were healthy rabbits. Antibodies anti-E. cuniculi were found in 84/125 (67.2%) sera analysed. The results of the chi-squared test showed that sex and health status had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on E. cuniculi seropositivity; however, rabbits older than 4 months had a seropositivity for E. cuniculi significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of rabbits aged up to 4 months. The results of the present survey reinforce the assumption that rabbit may be indicated as the main reservoir of E. cuniculi; therefore, routine screening examinations in pet rabbits are strongly advised considering the zoonotic potential of this parasite.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18331521/