Four hundred and ninety domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus L.) were examined for hepatic coccidiosis using faeces and liver samples. Of the examined rabbits, 32.24 % were infected with the parasite Eimeria stiedae, the major causative agent of this disease. Various developmental stages of the parasite were observed in the liver and the bile duct. Numerous and scattered white nod...

The clinical and pathological records of 44 domestic, female rabbits with an age ranging from 6-124 months (median age: 63.5 month) were assessed retrospectively for ovarian lesions. Included were all rabbits that underwent an ovariohysterectomy with a subsequent pathological examination of the genital tract between March 1997 and June 2016. Pathological examination revealed ovarian lesions in ...

The natural history of infection with Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica in domestic rabbits was studied prospectively at a commercial rabbitry. At weaning, about 25% of rabbits had nasal infections with P. multocida and 75% had infections with B. bronchiseptica. Infection of weanling rabbits paralleled nasal infections of their dams. The proportion of rabbits with both infecti...

Besnoitia sp. are apicomplexan coccidian parasites affecting several species of mammals and cold-blooded animals in several countries. Besnoitia sp. tissue cysts were seen in several tissues of five rabbits from a rabbit breeder in La Plata, Argentina. Bradyzoites released from macroscopic tissue cysts were inoculated onto bovine monocytes, and into interferon gamma gene knockout (KO) mice. Bes...

A species of Besnoitia from naturally infected rabbits from Argentina was propagated experimentally in mice, gerbils, rabbits, cats, and cell cultures. Cats fed tissue cysts from rabbits shed oocysts with a prepatent period of nine to 13 days. Sporulated oocysts were infective to gerbils, rabbits, outbred Swiss Webster and interferon gamma gene knockout mice. Bradyzoites were infective orally t...

Interspecies transmission of prions is a well-established phenomenon, both experimentally and under field conditions. Upon passage through new hosts, prion strains have proven their capacity to change their properties and this is a source of strain diversity which needs to be considered when assessing the potential risks associated with consumption of prion contaminated protein sources. Rabbits...

Pasteurella multocida is a bacterial pathogen that causes rhinitis (snuffles), pneumonia, otitis media, septicemia, metritis, and death in domestic rabbits. Currently, there are no effective vaccines to prevent infection by this organism. Subcutaneous (s.c.) immunization with either exotoxin or thiocyanate extracts of P. multocida induces partial protection in rabbits. Since disease begins at m...

Disrupting mutations affecting the tyrosinase (TYR) gene cause different forms of albinism in mice, humans and several other mammals. Classical genetic studies have already reported five alleles at European rabbit Albino locus, indicated to be part C series, each them with actions on pheomelanin eumelanin production, as well eye colour. A few these been characterised DNA level by sequencing cod...

Abstract Where introduced, the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is considered among most destructive and invasive species. To date, research focused mostly on populations of wild rabbit, whereas little known feral domestic populations. In this work, we reported establishment two self-sustaining rabbits in Italy. Direct observations were conducted to assess range expansion population increa...