title: Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection in invasive Eastern Cottontail Rabbits Sylvilagus floridanus in Northwestern Italy.
abstract: Sylvilagus floridanus is a lagomorph introduced for hunting purposes from North America to Europe where, in certain areas like Northern Italy, its population reached high densities. Brain, kidney and skeletal muscle of 144 Eastern Cottontail Rabbits S. floridanus were examined by PCR for Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. DNA of E. cuniculi was found with a prevalence of 9.72% (CI 95% 0.058-0.156). T. gondii and N. caninum DNA was detected in 2.08% (CI 95% 0.0071-0.0595) and 2.78% (CI 95% 0.0109-0.0692) of the samples examined, respectively. This is the first report of E. cuniculi infection in a lagomorph species other than in its natural host Oryctolagus cuniculus, and this is also the first time N. caninum is found to naturally infect S. floridanus. E. cuniculi, T. gondii and N. caninum infect S. floridanus at low but relevant prevalences, considered the important role that these pathogens could play in both animal and human health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanet
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trisciuoglio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantón Alonso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferroglio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000662:veterinary; D009670:Encephalitozoon cuniculi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D058865:Introduced Species; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018688:Neospora / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011817:Rabbits; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Encephalitozoon cuniculi; Invasive species; Neospora caninum; PCR; Sylvilagus floridanus; Toxoplasma gondii