Cox J C, Pye D, Edmonds J W, Shepherd R
J Hyg (Lond). 1980 Apr;84(2):295-300. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400026796.
Sera from 823 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) collected from a number of geographic regions of Victoria, Australia over the past eight years were examined for antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi, along with sera from 46 hares (Lepus europaeus) (Pallas) and 57 New Zealand wild rabbits. No sera were positive, implying that this common laboratory rabbit parasite is absent from wild rabbits in these areas. However, wild rabbits were found to be readily infected by the oral route with small numbers of tissue-culture-grown spores of E. cuniculi. A possible explanation for the absence of encephalitozoonosis in wild rabbits is that E. cuniculi infection places them at a biological disadvantage for survival. The natural hygiene habit of wild rabbits may also significantly decrease post-natal infection.
在过去八年里，从澳大利亚维多利亚州多个地理区域收集了823份野兔（穴兔）血清，同时检测了46份欧洲野兔血清和57份新西兰野兔血清，以检测针对兔脑炎微孢子虫的抗体。没有血清呈阳性，这意味着这些地区的野兔不存在这种常见的实验兔寄生虫。然而，发现野兔通过口服少量组织培养生长的兔脑炎微孢子虫孢子很容易被感染。野兔中不存在脑微孢子虫病的一个可能解释是，兔脑炎微孢子虫感染使它们在生存方面处于生物学劣势。野兔的自然卫生习惯也可能显著降低产后感染率。
