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E.Cuniculi
=Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi)=


Encephalitozoon cuniculi, E. cuniculi or EC is a pathogen that is spread in urine and affects primarily the nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and kidneys.
Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC) is a eukaryotic, unicellular, spore-forming, obligate intracellular microorganism of the phylum Microsporidia. Domestic rabbits (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') are its primary host, though the parasite is also zoonotic and can infect other mammals, including immunocompromised humans. The organism is shed primarily in urine and infects the kidneys, central nervous system (CNS), and eyes.


==Etiology (cause)==
''E. cuniculi'' is transmitted through ingestion or inhalation of infective spores shed in urine. Vertical (transplacental) transmission has also been documented. Once ingested, the spores invade host cells, where they replicate and form new spores. 


A eukaryote, unicellular, spore-forming, obligate intracellular microorganism of the phylum Microsporidia, with domestic rabbits as its main host.
The infection outcome depends largely on host immunity. Immunocompetent rabbits often remain subclinical or show only mild signs, whereas immunocompromised or stressed individuals may develop severe, sometimes fatal, disease.
Encephalitozoonosis in rabbits can manifest itself in different ways depending on the immunity of the host, with immunocompetent individuals having a mild or subclinical form of the disease, while immunocompromised patients show severe clinical signs with possible fatality [12]. The disease can be acute or chronic, the latter case being clinically harder to observe. The clinical signs shown in E. cuniculi infection in rabbits have a strong connection to the main affected organs: the central nervous system (CNS), the kidneys, and the eyes [13].
* Source: Doboși AA, Bel L, Paștiu AI, Pusta DL. *A Review of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)—Biology, Clinical Signs, Diagnostic Techniques, Treatment, and Prevention.* Pathogens. 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486)
Vestibular disease ( head tilt) is the most common manifestation seen in acute cases of encephalitozoonosis in rabbits as a result of CNS lesions [13]. Clinical signs can vary in severity, from torticollis or head tilt, ataxia, nystagmus, hemiparesis or paresis, tremors, and seizures to longitudinal rolling and hindlimb paralysis with urinary incontinence [12,13,14]. Renal insufficiency is the result of a chronic infection; clinical signs include polyuria, polydipsia, pollakisuria, azotemia, weight loss, and cystitis, but these are usually hard to observe [12,14]. Damage to the eye globe ( looks like a cataract) can result from the parasite invading the eye lens, inducing inflammation and the spontaneous rupture of the anterior lens capsule at its thinnest point, which causes a release of lens material into the anterior chamber of the eye globe, leading to phacoclastic uveitis. This kind of lesion is usually unilateral [13]. In addition to uveitis, secondary glaucoma and cataracts can also occur [12]. Taking the variety of clinical signs and their low specificity into account, most authors are of the opinion that ante-mortem diagnosis of the disease remains a real challenge [4].
Pathogens. 2022 Dec; 11(12): 1486.
Published online 2022 Dec 7. doi: 10.3390/pathogens11121486
PMCID: PMC9785705
PMID: 36558820
A Review of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)—Biology, Clinical Signs, Diagnostic Techniques, Treatment, and Prevention
Anca-Alexandra Doboși,1,2 Lucia-Victoria Bel,2 Anamaria Ioana Paștiu,1,* and Dana Liana Pusta1
Valentina Virginia Ebani, Academic Editor
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9785705/


==Clinical Signs==
The clinical presentation is highly variable and depends on which organ systems are most affected. 


* **Neurological signs (most common):** torticollis (head tilt), ataxia, nystagmus, paresis or hemiparesis, tremors, seizures, longitudinal rolling. 
* **Renal signs:** polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss, azotemia, chronic renal insufficiency, cystitis. 
* **Ocular signs:** phacoclastic uveitis (from rupture of the anterior lens capsule), cataracts, secondary glaucoma. 


Many rabbits remain asymptomatic or develop chronic subclinical infections, making ante-mortem diagnosis challenging. 
* Sources: 
  - Doboși AA, et al. *Pathogens.* 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486) 
  - Škrbec M, et al. *Encephalitozoon cuniculi Infection of Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Slovenia between 2017 and 2021.* Pathogens. 2023;12(4):516. doi:[10.3390/pathogens12040516](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040516)


Treatment: Safeguard 2cc per day for 28 days   
==Treatment, Prevention, and Control==
symptoms  and damage are not normally reversible so culling symptomatic rabbits is typically best option
* **Treatment:** 
  - Fenbendazole (Safeguard®) at 20 mg/kg orally once daily for 28 days is the most widely used treatment. This reduces clinical signs and spore shedding but does not always reverse existing damage.  
  - Clinical signs (neurological or renal damage) are often irreversible. Severely affected rabbits may not recover, and culling is considered in breeding programs.  
  - Supportive care (NSAIDs, fluids, assisted feeding) may be indicated for symptomatic animals. 


* **Prevention and Control:** 
  - Prevent exposure to urine from infected rabbits. 
  - Do not use infected animals in breeding colonies. 
  - Routine testing of breeding stock is recommended in rabbitries. 
  - Good sanitation and husbandry practices reduce transmission risk. 


* Sources: 
  - Doboși AA, et al. *Pathogens.* 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486) 
  - Škrbec M, et al. *Pathogens.* 2023;12(4):516. doi:[10.3390/pathogens12040516](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040516) 
  - [Encephalitozoon cuniculi – ScienceDirect Topic](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi) 


 
==References==
 
* Doboși AA, Bel L, Paștiu AI, Pusta DL. *A Review of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)—Biology, Clinical Signs, Diagnostic Techniques, Treatment, and Prevention.* Pathogens. 2022;11(12):1486. doi:10.3390/pathogens11121486. PMID: [36558820](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36558820) 
 
* Škrbec M, Dovč A, Hrženjak NM, Slavec B, Žlabravec Z, Kočar N, Rojs OZ, Račnik J. *Encephalitozoon cuniculi Infection of Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Slovenia between 2017 and 2021.* Pathogens. 2023;12(4):516. doi:10.3390/pathogens12040516. PMID: [37111402](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37111402) 
 
* Encephalitozoon cuniculi. In: **The Evolution of the Genome.** 2005. ScienceDirect. [Link](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi)
more reading :
 
 
 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10143470/
Pathogens. 2023 Apr; 12(4): 516.
Published online 2023 Mar 26. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12040516
PMCID: PMC10143470
PMID: 37111402
Encephalitozoon cuniculi Infection of Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Slovenia between 2017 and 2021
Maruša Škrbec, Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Alenka Dovč, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Nina Mlakar Hrženjak, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing, Brigita Slavec, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Zoran Žlabravec, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing, Nina Kočar, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing, Olga Zorman Rojs, Investigation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition, and Jožko Račnik, Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition*
Lawrence S. Young, Academic Editor and Magda Dunowska, Academic Editor
 
 
 
 
 
 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi
Encephalitozoon Cuniculi
In subject area:
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
 
Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a member of the microsporidia, a group of obligate parasites that infest many animal hosts, including rabbits and immunocompromised humans.
 
From:
The Evolution of the Genome, 2005

Latest revision as of 00:31, 18 August 2025

Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi)[edit | edit source]

Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC) is a eukaryotic, unicellular, spore-forming, obligate intracellular microorganism of the phylum Microsporidia. Domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are its primary host, though the parasite is also zoonotic and can infect other mammals, including immunocompromised humans. The organism is shed primarily in urine and infects the kidneys, central nervous system (CNS), and eyes.

Etiology (cause)[edit | edit source]

E. cuniculi is transmitted through ingestion or inhalation of infective spores shed in urine. Vertical (transplacental) transmission has also been documented. Once ingested, the spores invade host cells, where they replicate and form new spores.

The infection outcome depends largely on host immunity. Immunocompetent rabbits often remain subclinical or show only mild signs, whereas immunocompromised or stressed individuals may develop severe, sometimes fatal, disease.

  • Source: Doboși AA, Bel L, Paștiu AI, Pusta DL. *A Review of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)—Biology, Clinical Signs, Diagnostic Techniques, Treatment, and Prevention.* Pathogens. 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486)

Clinical Signs[edit | edit source]

The clinical presentation is highly variable and depends on which organ systems are most affected.

  • **Neurological signs (most common):** torticollis (head tilt), ataxia, nystagmus, paresis or hemiparesis, tremors, seizures, longitudinal rolling.
  • **Renal signs:** polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss, azotemia, chronic renal insufficiency, cystitis.
  • **Ocular signs:** phacoclastic uveitis (from rupture of the anterior lens capsule), cataracts, secondary glaucoma.

Many rabbits remain asymptomatic or develop chronic subclinical infections, making ante-mortem diagnosis challenging.

  • Sources:
 - Doboși AA, et al. *Pathogens.* 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486)  
 - Škrbec M, et al. *Encephalitozoon cuniculi Infection of Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Slovenia between 2017 and 2021.* Pathogens. 2023;12(4):516. doi:[10.3390/pathogens12040516](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040516)

Treatment, Prevention, and Control[edit | edit source]

  • **Treatment:**
 - Fenbendazole (Safeguard®) at 20 mg/kg orally once daily for 28 days is the most widely used treatment. This reduces clinical signs and spore shedding but does not always reverse existing damage.  
 - Clinical signs (neurological or renal damage) are often irreversible. Severely affected rabbits may not recover, and culling is considered in breeding programs.  
 - Supportive care (NSAIDs, fluids, assisted feeding) may be indicated for symptomatic animals.
  • **Prevention and Control:**
 - Prevent exposure to urine from infected rabbits.  
 - Do not use infected animals in breeding colonies.  
 - Routine testing of breeding stock is recommended in rabbitries.  
 - Good sanitation and husbandry practices reduce transmission risk.
  • Sources:
 - Doboși AA, et al. *Pathogens.* 2022;11(12):1486. doi:[10.3390/pathogens11121486](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11121486)  
 - Škrbec M, et al. *Pathogens.* 2023;12(4):516. doi:[10.3390/pathogens12040516](https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040516)  
 - [Encephalitozoon cuniculi – ScienceDirect Topic](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi)

References[edit | edit source]

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