Clinical symptoms and diagnosis of encephalitozoonosis in pet rabbits.
Infections with Encephalitozoon cuniculi in rabbits are observed at increasing frequency and are known as opportunistic infections in immunocompromised humans. 191 pet rabbits with suspected encephalitozoonosis, presented at the Animal Hospital of the Veterinary University of Vienna (Austria), were included in this study. Rabbits were serologically examined for antibodies against E. cuniculi (144 positive out of 184 rabbits with suspected encephalitozoonosis compared to 14 positive out of 40 clinically healthy rabbits tested as part of a standard health check) and Toxoplasma gondii (8 positive out of 157). Of the 144 seropositive rabbits with clinical signs, 75% showed neurological symptoms, 14.6% demonstrated phacoclastic uveitis and 3.5% suffered from renal failure. 6.9% of the animals had combined symptoms. Vestibular disease dominated within the rabbits that showed neurological symptoms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could not detect parasite DNA in urine or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but did so in 4 out of 5 samples of liquefied lens material in cases with phacoclastic uveitis due to lens capsule rupture. Additionally further diagnostic procedures, such as inspection of the external ear canal (N=69), radiography of the tympanic bullae (N=65) were performed to rule out differential diagnosis. 54.2% of the patients exhibiting neurological symptoms recovered within a few days, while 87.5% of the rabbits suffering from renal failure died or had to be euthanized.
Künzel
Frank
F
Clinic of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Clinical Department of Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria. frank.kuenzel@vu-wien.ac.at
Gruber
Andrea
A
Tichy
Alexander
A
Edelhofer
Renate
R
Nell
Barbara
B
Hassan
Jasmin
J
Leschnik
Michael
M
Thalhammer
Johann G
JG
Joachim
Anja
A
D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000382:microbiology; D009670:Encephalitozoon cuniculi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005273:Fenbendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011817:Rabbits / Q000382:microbiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D005273:Fenbendazole