Cryptosporidium infection in juvenile pet rabbits.
Cryptosporidium infection was confirmed by fecal examination for the first time in pet rabbits in a wholesale store located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Fecal samples were obtained postmortem from juvenile rabbits (n=66), which had died after developing diarrhea. Feces from healthy rabbits (n=30) were also collected and examined as controls. Two types of Cryptosporidium oocysts distinctive in size and shape were found (Type A and B). Types A and B oocysts were detected from 16.7% and 13.6% of the diarrheic, and 3.3% and 0% of the normal feces, respectively. Since Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected at a higher rate in the diarrheic rabbits than in the healthy rabbits, special caution should be taken when handling a pet rabbit presenting with diarrhea.
Shiibashi
Takashi
T
Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan.
Imai
Takayuki
T
Sato
Yukita
Y
Abe
Niichiro
N
Yukawa
Masayoshi
M
Nogami
Sadao
S
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011817:Rabbits / Q000469:parasitology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*