Journal of Veterinary Parasitology

Encephalitozoon cuniculi is known to infect a wide variety of host species, including rabbits and humans. It has been identified as a cause of encephalitis as well as chronic renal disease in rabbits, but the infections have not been well documented in India. Death of a few rabbits, with a history of nervous signs such as torticollis, hind limb paralysis, ataxia, and urinary incontinence was reported among rabbits maintained at the Instructional Livestock Farm Complex (ILFC), Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal. Urine and faecal samples were collected from 29 rabbits (10 New Zealand white and 19 Chinchilla rabbits) and examined for the presence of parasites after modified trichrome staining. Out of 29 live rabbits examined, seven urine samples were found positive for E. cunuculi spores. None of the faecal samples were found positive. Upon necropsy, the bladder was found filled with purulent, turbid urine with petechial hemorrhages of mucosa. Treatment was carried out with fenbendazole @ 20 mg/kg bodyweight daily for seven days for the affected rabbits, which prolonged the survival of rabbits. However, the animals were unable to recover from the nervous signs.