Homozygous Pelger-Huet anomaly in three different crossbred rabbits: a case report

Abstract

ABSTRACT:In this case report, three different crossbreedings of pet rabbits were performed producing affected as well as healthy bunnies. All affected rabbits were smaller and had local alopecia, exophthalmus, and limb deviations compared to their healthy littermates; thus, a homozygous form of Pelger-Huet anomaly was suspected. This anomaly was confirmed by blood examination in which granulocytes with oval nuclei and a very coarse chromatin pattern, as well as lymphocytes with micronuclei were noticed. Karyotype analyses of the lymphocytes revealed many chromosomal aberrations in affected rabbits. Moreover, severe arterial abnormalities in the pelvic cavity and proximal part of the pelvic limbs were also found in these rabbits. Our findings suggest a multigenic origin of Pelger-Huet anomaly in rabbits, because only male and female offspring with the otter colour of fur were severely affected by this congenital disorder.

Inherited Disorder: Pelger-Huët Anomaly

“…The PHA is also present in other mammals such as mice, 5 dogs, 6 cats, 7 horses 8 and rabbits. 9 In humans, it is found rather rarely in a heterozygous state, according to Shetty et al 10 in about one of every 5000 subjects. An incidence of one in 6000 is reported by Ayan et al 11 Presumed homozygous individuals have ovoid neutrophil nuclei, as well as varying degrees of developmental delay, epilepsy and skeletal abnormalities.…”

Physiological values of some blood indicators in selected dwarf rabbit breeds

“…In general, the blood indicators of rabbits have been intensively researched, mainly with regard to the effect of nutrition (Ironkwe and Oruwari, 2011;Trebušak et al, 2014), age (Jeklová et al, 2009;Kisch, 2010), gender (Özkan et al, 2012), welfare (Ondruska et al, 2011) and genetic diseases (Supuka et al, 2014).…”