Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
05:38
A Versatile Model of Hard Tick Infestation on Laboratory Rabbits
Published on: October 6, 2018
ENCEPHALITOZOON CUNICULI AS A KIDNEY PARASITE IN THE RABBIT
1Department of Animal Pathology of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, Princeton, N.J.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
A protozoan parasite, likely a microsporidian, causes nephritis in young rabbits. This nest infection affects epithelial cells, leading to kidney damage and potentially brain invasions, impacting experimental rabbit studies.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Parasitology
- Rabbit Medicine
Background:
- A long-standing epidemic of nephritis in young rabbits has been observed since 1918.
- The condition is characterized as a nest infection, suggesting transmission within a specific environment.
- The causative agent is a protozoan parasite, tentatively classified as a microsporidian.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the protozoan parasite responsible for nephritis in rabbits.
- To understand the parasite's life cycle, host-parasite interactions, and pathological effects.
- To investigate the potential link between this parasite and nephritis observed in experimental rabbits.
Main Methods:
- Observation of a spontaneous epidemic in a rabbit breeding stock.
- Microscopic examination to identify and classify the protozoan parasite.
- Histopathological analysis of affected tissues (kidneys and brain).
Main Results:
- The parasite is an intracellular pathogen affecting epithelial cells.
- Vegetative stages of the parasite undergo multiple generations within the host.
- Kidney damage results from epithelial destruction and tubule obstruction; brain involvement is also noted.
- No immediate host reaction observed, with inflammation occurring secondary to tissue injury.
Conclusions:
- The protozoan parasite is the likely cause of nephritis in young rabbits.
- The kidneys are the primary habitat, while brain localization may represent aberrant migration.
- Early-stage infections could be a precursor to nephritis in older experimental rabbits.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:28Rabies
Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
01:12Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
01:27Diversity of Protists II
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...