Infectious agents associated with diarrhoea in commercial rabbits: a field study

Over a period of 9 months the occurrence of parasites, bacteria and viruses has been examined in diarrhoeic rabbits from 21 commercial rabbitries and related with clinical signs and gross and microscopic lesions. Infectious disease agents have been found in 71.5% of the animals. Escherichia coli (ATEC) were found to be attached to the luminal intestinal border of 40% of the rabbits examined. This was associated with moderate to high mortality, caecal oedema, severe swelling of mesenteric lymph nodes and high numbers of colibacilli attached to the epithelium of ileum, caecum and colon. Rotaviruses were detected in 35.4% of the animals. Disease associated with pure rota infection was usually mild and affected predominantly small intestine. A coronavirus associated with ATEC has been established in one rabbitry and coccidia were present in 18.5% of the animals. Multiple agents were found in 18.5% of the animals.