Department of Environment, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka, 598-0048, Japan.
Division of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan.
Acta Parasitol. 2023 Jun;68(2):453-457. doi: 10.1007/s11686-023-00678-x. Epub 2023 Apr 26.
Eimeria spp. are commonly found among rabbits (Mammalia: Lagomorpha) worldwide. Among the 11 Eimeria species, several are highly virulent, including E. intestinalis and E. flavescens, which cause intestinal coccidiosis, and E. stiedae, which causes hepatic coccidiosis. Unlike other countries, the occurrence of Eimeria infections in rabbits in Japan remains unknown, except for one reported case of natural infection.
We surveyed Eimeria infections in clinically affected rabbits over the past approximately 10 years at Livestock Hygiene Centers in 42 prefectures. A total of 16 tissue samples (14 liver, 1 ileum, and 1 cecum) were collected from 15 rabbits in 6 prefectures.
Characteristic histopathologic findings were observed, especially around the bile ducts, depending on the developmental stages of the parasites. Eimeria stiedae and E. flavescens were successfully identified by PCR and sequencing analyses in 5 liver samples and 1 cecum sample, respectively.
Our results could enhance understanding of infection with Eimeria spp. in rabbits in Japan and contribute to pathological or molecular diagnoses.
艾美耳球虫属（Eimeria spp.）在全世界的兔类（哺乳动物：兔形目）中很常见。在 11 种艾美耳球虫中，有几种是高度致病毒株，包括引起肠球虫病的艾美耳球虫（E. intestinalis）和菲莱氏艾美耳球虫（E. flavescens），以及引起肝球虫病的斯蒂氏艾美耳球虫（E. stiedae）。与其他国家不同，除了一例自然感染的报告病例外，日本兔类的艾美耳球虫感染情况尚不清楚。
我们在过去大约 10 年里，对 42 个都道府县的家畜卫生中心的临床受影响的兔子进行了艾美耳球虫感染调查。从 6 个都道府县的 15 只兔子中总共采集了 16 个组织样本（14 个肝脏、1 个回肠和 1 个盲肠）。
根据寄生虫的发育阶段，观察到了特征性的组织病理学发现，特别是在胆管周围。通过 PCR 和测序分析，在 5 个肝脏样本和 1 个盲肠样本中成功鉴定出斯蒂氏艾美耳球虫和菲莱氏艾美耳球虫。
我们的结果可以增强对日本兔类感染艾美耳球虫属的理解，并有助于病理或分子诊断。
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