Kevin Denis Steffen , Marin Juan Carlos , Basset Carina , Trigo María Soledad , Arias Ruben Omar , Unzaga Juan Manuel , Moré Gastón
{"title":"Eimeria stiedae in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) farmed in agroecological and industrial systems in Argentina","authors":"Kevin Denis Steffen , Marin Juan Carlos , Basset Carina , Trigo María Soledad , Arias Ruben Omar , Unzaga Juan Manuel , Moré Gastón","doi":"10.1016/j.vprsr.2025.101234","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Health in commercial and domestic rabbit farming is commonly affected by rabbit coccidiosis. For this study, 90 crossbreed rabbits (New Zealand x Californian) of 2.7–5 months of age and 1.5–2.5 kg from agroecological (<em>n</em> = 11) and industrial (<em>n</em> = 79) systems were slaughtered for consumption. Bile and liver samples were collected, filtered, and dissolved in potassium dichromate and distilled water for oocyst sporulation. Additionally, liver tissue samples fixed in 10 % buffered formalin were analysed for histopathological diagnosis. The overall prevalence of <em>E. stiedae</em> was observed in 24.4 % (22/90) of the liver samples. The prevalence in the agroecological system was 72.7 % (8/11) and 17.7 % (14/79) in the industrial system. In 27.2 % (6/22) bile vesicles, after a puncture, non-sporulating oocysts were observed in the interior, coinciding with those livers with hepatomegaly and a greater number of yellowish-white nodules, scattered for the surface and in the interior. Mild hepatomegaly was observed, with irregular yellowish-white nodules of varying sizes in all liver lobes, containing white caseous material with non-sporulating oocysts. The gall bladder was distended (3.5 cm) with yellowish fluid. Histopathological analysis showed dilated bile ducts due to extensive epithelial proliferation and hyperplasia, with abundant necrotic contents and detached biliary epithelial cells, alongside thick-walled non-sporulating oocysts in the duct lumen. Sequence analysis showed 98.4 % homology with rabbit <em>E. stiedae</em> 18S generic primers and the sequences deposited in GenBank such as (PQ427813). The sequence analysis obtained from the ITS1 product showed 92.2–93.4 % homology with rabbit <em>E. stiedae</em>. This report describes the natural infection of <em>E. stiedae</em> in rabbit liver from the agroecological and industrial system by morphology, histopathology, and molecular confirmation in Argentina. Our results could contribute to the diagnosis of <em>E. stiedae</em> infection in rabbits in Argentina.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23600,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101234"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405939025000413","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Health in commercial and domestic rabbit farming is commonly affected by rabbit coccidiosis. For this study, 90 crossbreed rabbits (New Zealand x Californian) of 2.7–5 months of age and 1.5–2.5 kg from agroecological (n = 11) and industrial (n = 79) systems were slaughtered for consumption. Bile and liver samples were collected, filtered, and dissolved in potassium dichromate and distilled water for oocyst sporulation. Additionally, liver tissue samples fixed in 10 % buffered formalin were analysed for histopathological diagnosis. The overall prevalence of E. stiedae was observed in 24.4 % (22/90) of the liver samples. The prevalence in the agroecological system was 72.7 % (8/11) and 17.7 % (14/79) in the industrial system. In 27.2 % (6/22) bile vesicles, after a puncture, non-sporulating oocysts were observed in the interior, coinciding with those livers with hepatomegaly and a greater number of yellowish-white nodules, scattered for the surface and in the interior. Mild hepatomegaly was observed, with irregular yellowish-white nodules of varying sizes in all liver lobes, containing white caseous material with non-sporulating oocysts. The gall bladder was distended (3.5 cm) with yellowish fluid. Histopathological analysis showed dilated bile ducts due to extensive epithelial proliferation and hyperplasia, with abundant necrotic contents and detached biliary epithelial cells, alongside thick-walled non-sporulating oocysts in the duct lumen. Sequence analysis showed 98.4 % homology with rabbit E. stiedae 18S generic primers and the sequences deposited in GenBank such as (PQ427813). The sequence analysis obtained from the ITS1 product showed 92.2–93.4 % homology with rabbit E. stiedae. This report describes the natural infection of E. stiedae in rabbit liver from the agroecological and industrial system by morphology, histopathology, and molecular confirmation in Argentina. Our results could contribute to the diagnosis of E. stiedae infection in rabbits in Argentina.
期刊介绍:
Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports focuses on aspects of veterinary parasitology that are of regional concern, which is especially important in this era of climate change and the rapid and often unconstrained travel of people and animals. Relative to regions, this journal will accept papers of the highest quality dealing with all aspects of disease prevention, pathology, treatment, epidemiology, and control of parasites within the field of veterinary medicine. Also, case reports will be considered as they add to information related to local disease and its control; such papers must be concise and represent appropriate medical intervention. Papers on veterinary parasitology from wildlife species are acceptable, but only if they relate to the practice of veterinary medicine. Studies on vector-borne bacterial and viral agents are suitable, but only if the paper deals with vector transmission of these organisms to domesticated animals. Studies dealing with parasite control by means of natural products, both in vivo and in vitro, are more suited for one of the many journals that now specialize in papers of this type. However, due to the regional nature of much of this research, submissions may be considered based upon a case being made by the author(s) to the Editor. Circumstances relating to animal experimentation must meet the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals as issued by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (obtainable from: Executive Secretary C.I.O.M.S., c/o W.H.O., Via Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland).