Eimeria fajok által okozott fertőzőttség magyarországi nagyüzemi nyúltelepeken

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of our study was to perform parasitological examinations on Hungarian rabbit farms, and to report data on the prevalence and morphology of Eimeria species. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples were collected in 13 Hungarian rabbit farms, and 1235 oocysts were evaluated in this study. Results and Discussion: Eight Eimeria species were identified and more Eimeria species were observed simultaneously in 83% of the samples. The Eimeria species occurred in the samples with the following prevalence: E. media 40.3%, E. coecicola 22.5%, E. magna 18.5%, E. perforans 8.3%, E. irresidua 6.8%, E. flavescens 2.7%, E. intestinalis 0.8%, E. piriformis 0.2%. The proportion of species with different pathogenicity varied considerably from one life stage to another. In case of E. media and E. magna, there was a difference between sporulated and non-sporulated oocysts in terms of both width and length. E. media sporulated oocysts were on average 10 % longer and wider (p < 0.01), while E. magna sporulated oocysts were 6–11% shorter and less wide compared to non-sporulated oocysts (p < 0.05). For the other identified Eimeria species, there was no difference in the dimensions of sporulated and non-sporulated oocysts. Seventy-one percent of oocysts originated from species with weak pathogenicity, while 25 percent were from moderate and 4 percent from highly pathogenic species. The proportions varied considerably in consecutive production phases. The period of lactation (weeks 1–5 of life) is characterized by weakly pathogenic species, moderately and strongly pathogenic ones appeared in proportions below 10 %. In the postweaning period (weeks 6–9 of life), the proportion of oocysts of species classified as moderately pathogenic increased, but highly pathogenic species were not detected. In the final phase of fattening (weeks 10–13 of life), slightly pathogenic species were again present in higher proportions, the proportion of moderately pathogenic pathogens decreased, and a highly pathogenic species of Eimeria (E. flavescens) was also detected.