An investigation of<i>Encephalitozoon cuniculi</i>in the wild rabbit<i>Oryctolagus cuniculus</i>in Victoria, Australia

Cox, John C.; Pye, D.; Edmonds, J. W.; Shepherd, R. C. H.

doi:10.1017/s0022172400026796

Cited by 19 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Encephalitozoon - positive wild rabbits were described from France with a comparatively low prevalence of 3.9% (Chalupský et al., 1990) compared to domestic populations. Except for a single description of an E. cuniculi infected wild rabbit by Wilson (1979), no infections in the UK and in Germany in wild populations could be demonstrated so far (Cox et al., 1980, Bose et al., 2015). However, prevalence in captive rabbits in these countries were quite high (Keeble and Shaw, 2006, Hein et al., 2014).…”

Section: Orders Of Wild Animals Infected With Encephalitozoonmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than a rabbit's tale – Encephalitozoon spp. in wild mammals and birds

Hinney

Sak

Joachim

et al. 2016

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Within the microsporidian genus Encephalitozoon, three species, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Encephalitozoon hellem and Encephalitozoon intestinalis have been described. Several orders of the Class Aves (Passeriformes, Psittaciformes, Apodiformes, Ciconiiformis, Gruiformes, Columbiformes, Suliformes, Podicipediformes, Anseriformes, Struthioniformes, Falconiformes) and of the Class Mammalia (Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Primates, Artyodactyla, Soricomorpha, Chiroptera, Carnivora) can become infected. Especially E. cuniculi has a very broad host range while E. hellem is mainly distributed amongst birds. E. intestinalis has so far been detected only sporadically in wild animals. Although genotyping allows the identification of strains with a certain host preference, recent studies have demonstrated that they have no strict host specificity. Accordingly, humans can become infected with any of the four strains of E. cuniculi as well as with E. hellem or E. intestinalis, the latter being the most common. Especially, but not exclusively, immunocompromised people are at risk. Environmental contamination with as well as direct transmission of Encephalitozoon is therefore highly relevant for public health. Moreover, endangered species might be threatened by the spread of pathogens into their habitats. In captivity, clinically overt and often fatal disease seems to occur frequently. In conclusion, Encephalitozoon appears to be common in wild warm-blooded animals and these hosts may present important reservoirs for environmental contamination and maintenance of the pathogens. Similar to domestic animals, asymptomatic infections seem to occur frequently but in captive wild animals severe disease has also been reported. Detailed investigations into the epidemiology and clinical relevance of these microsporidia will permit a full appraisal of their role as pathogens.

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Section: Orders Of Wild Animals Infected With Encephalitozoonmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than a rabbit's tale – Encephalitozoon spp. in wild mammals and birds

Hinney

Sak

Joachim

et al. 2016

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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“…Additionally, because Toxoplasma places the host at a biological disadvantage for survival one would expect the disease to be self-limiting in the absence of high levels of pasture contamination. Such a mechanism was postulated by Cox et al (1980) it is discharged into the bay and on the land filtration pastures. Present evidence ( Table 1) also suggests that significant levels of viable oocysts may be associated with the land filtration areas of the Farm only.…”

Section: Immunofluorescencementioning

confidence: 99%

Toxoplasmosis and the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus in Victoria, Australia with suggested mechanisms for dissemination of oocysts

Cox

Edmonds²,

Shepherd³

1981

J. Hyg.

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SummarySera or serum eluates from 1697 wild rabbits [Oryctolagus cuniculus (L)], collected over the past 10 years from 24 sites in 5 geographic regions of Victoria, were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Sera generally were classified into three broad groups, negative (titre < 10), weakly reactive (titre 10 to 100) and strongly positive (titre > 1000). Strongly positive sera came from rabbits collected in a small number of localized areas, most significantly the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) Sewerage Farm at Werribee and Mud Island in Port Phillip Bay.

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“…The microsporidian protozoan parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi has been reported from wild rabbits in Western Australia but not Victoria or New Zealand (Cox et al 1980;Thomas et al 1997). Although infection is usually subclinical, growth rates and feed conversion may be reduced and heavy infestations can cause nervous system disease and death (Wilber 1999;Percy and Barthold 2007).…”

Section: Potential For the Wider Dissemination Of Biological Control mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The parasite has a wide host range, including rodents and humans (Baker 1998;Percy and Barthold 2007). Its apparent absence from wild rabbits in Victoria and New Zealand is puzzling, especially as it is present in laboratory rabbit colonies in these areas (Cox et al 1980). Whatever the explanation for this absence, in view of the parasite's wide host range it is unsuitable for introduction into wild rabbits in eastern Australia or New Zealand.…”

Section: Potential For the Wider Dissemination Of Biological Control mentioning

confidence: 99%

The future biological control of pest populations of European rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus

2008

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Abstract. European rabbits are exotic pests in Australia, New Zealand, parts of South America and Europe, and on many islands. Their abundance, and the damage they cause, might be reduced by the release of naturally occurring or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that act as biological control agents (BCAs). Some promising pathogens and parasites of European rabbits and other lagomorphs are discussed, with special reference to those absent from Australia as an example of the range of necessary considerations in any given case. The possibility of introducing these already-known BCAs into areas where rabbits are pests warrants further investigation. The most cost-effective method for finding potentially useful but as-yet undiscovered BCAs would be to maintain a global watch on new diseases and pathologies in domestic rabbits. The absence of wild European rabbits from climatically suitable parts of North and South America and southern Africa may indicate the presence there of useful BCAs, although other explanations for their absence are possible. Until the non-target risks of deploying disseminating GMOs to control rabbits have been satisfactorily minimised, efforts to introduce BCAs into exotic rabbit populations should focus on naturally occurring organisms. The development of safe disseminating GMOs remains an important long-term goal, with the possible use of homing endonuclease genes warranting further investigation.

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An investigation ofEncephalitozoon cuniculiin the wild rabbitOryctolagus cuniculusin Victoria, Australia

Cited by 19 publications

References 9 publications

More than a rabbit's tale – Encephalitozoon spp. in wild mammals and birds

More than a rabbit's tale – Encephalitozoon spp. in wild mammals and birds

Toxoplasmosis and the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus in Victoria, Australia with suggested mechanisms for dissemination of oocysts

The future biological control of pest populations of European rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus

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