Back to Journals » Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports » Volume 5

Encephalitozoon cuniculi in pet rabbits: diagnosis and optimal management
Authors Latney L, Bradley C, Wyre N
Received 13 June 2013
Accepted for publication 13 August 2013
Published 6 November 2014 Volume 2014:5 Pages 169—180
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/VMRR.S49842
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 5
La'Toya V Latney,1 Charles W Bradley,2 Nicole R Wyre1
1Departments of Clinical Studies, 2Departments of Pathobiology, Matthew J Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Abstract: Encephalitozoonosis is a significant microsporidial disease of captive pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). This article overviews the life cycle, pathogenesis, and host immune response to the parasite. Clinical presentation, differential diagnoses, antemortem diagnostics, and postmortem diagnosis will be discussed. International seroprevalence data and histologic prevalence estimates in the US are presented. A review of current treatment and control recommendations are discussed based on extensive review of controlled studies, which have found fenbendazole to be effective for limiting spread of the disease.
Keywords: Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Oryctolagus cuniculi, microsporidia, encephalitozoonosis
This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.
By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.