Diagnosis of the Encephalitozoon cuniculi infections in pet rabbits with neurological symptoms

Abstract

The purpose of the study was the in vivo diagnosing of E. cuniculi invasions in pet rabbits with neurological symptoms using the Real-Time PCR, and determination of the rate of invasion, in this group of animals. The study involved 103 pet rabbits with neurological symptoms. Parasitic invasions were diagnosed using Real-Time PCR. The DNA of the parasites for molecular tests was isolated from the urine of the diseased animals. Out of the 103 tested DNA samples, the presence of the E. cuniculi genetic material was detected in 27 samples (26.21%). The melting temperature (Tm) of all products was 77.5oC. The presence of parasitic DNA in the urine of 26.21% of examined animals indicates that E. cuniculi infections occur widely in pet rabbits in Poland and are a significant cause of neurological disorders in those animals