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Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC)
What is E Cuniculi?
Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC) is a parasite that causes lesions (called
"granulomas") in such organs as the kidneys, liver and brain.
Even today, EC is still not well understood in the rabbit community. Theories
and opinions regarding transmission, treatment and the severity of the
problems caused by this parasite vary widely. To date, none of the theories
have really been proven or not proven by a definitive study. Because EC
is a protozoon, it is difficult to find this organism in the live rabbit,
and often, the protozoan is not even found during a post mortem exam.
How is EC transmitted?
The majority of rabbits seem to become infected with EC from their mothers.
Infection can also occur when something contaminated by urine containing
EC spores has been ingested. Approximately one month after the rabbit
is infected it begins to shed EC spores via its urine. Spores continue
to be shed for approximately 3 months, but can be shed throughout the
rabbit's life.
What problems does EC cause?
Some experts feel that the majority of rabbits who have been exposed to
EC do not suffer any health consequences as a result of this exposure.
Others feel that EC is responsible for a whole host of health problems,
including renal failure, convulsions, torticollis (head tilt or wry neck),
hind limb weakness or loss of balance, nystagmus (eye twitching) and incontinence.
Rabbits affected by EC before they are born (via the placenta) may develop
lesions around the eyes, which sometimes cause visible white spots in
the eye.
How is EC detected?
Antibodies to EC can be detected through a blood test called a titer test.
A rabbit who has been exposed to EC in its lifetime will produce antibodies
as a result of this exposure. A titer test is used to detect the level
of the antibody to the organism in the blood. A positive titer tells you
that the rabbit has been exposed to this parasite at some point in its
life. Note that this does not allow you to differentiate between simple
exposure and an active infection. By doing two titer tests (with an interval
of time in between) and comparing the results, it is possible to determine
if the rabbit is mounting an immune response to an active infection or
if he was previously infected. However, even with a rising titer, you
can't determine for certain that a particular health problem is being
caused by EC or something else. Head tilt, for example, has many causes
other than EC, including bacterial or viral infections, trauma and toxicity.
A false negative titer may also result if an infected animal produces
an inadequate amount of antibodies.
How is EC treated?
There are several treatment options for rabbits infected with EC. At the
time of this writing, the most widely prescribed treatment is probably
one of the benzimidazoles (oxibendazole, albendazole or fenbendazole).
Of these drugs, fenbendazole is the only one that has been studied and
believed to cure the infection, rather than just control it (Veterinary
Record, April 2001*). Other treatment options are discussed in Can Encephalitozoon
cuniculi, a protozoal parasite of the nervous system, be treated with
pyrimethamine?
* Suter C., Muller-Doblies U.U., Hatt J-M., Deplazes
P., (2001) Prevention and Treatment of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in rabbits
with fenbendazole. Veterinary Record 148
Further reading:
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