Levytska V. Encephalitozoonosis in rabbits (epizootology and diagnostic methods)

The thesis contains the materials regarding encephalitozoonosis in rabbits discovered for the first time in Ukraine. As a result of research it was found that the disease occurs as seldom cases with extensity of invasion from 0,63 to 3,08 %. Clinical development observed among young animals 1,5 to 3 months of age (EV – 0,65–11,76 %), less frequently among doe rabbits (ЕV – 0,32–6,9 %), among males clinical manifestations observed on a scare basis (ЕV – 0,16–3,85 %). The disease declares itself along with other parasitic diseases in the form of parasitecenosis. Encephalitozoonosis clinically declares itself in a form severe nervous disorders (torticollis, head flexion, ataxia), sight affection (conjunctivitis, panuveitis, phacogenic plastic uveitis), uruinary organs affection (polyuria, acute or chronic nephritis). The results of the studies by ELISA revealed that extensity of encephalitozoonosis among rabbits in Ukraine is 34 %. Among the positively reacting rabbits there are distinguished groups of rabbits with low (4,97±1,47), medium (16,00±6,14) and high (162,72±58,00) antibody titers as well as a group of in-patient rabbits with the highest antibody level i.e. 391,50±8,10 ODU. Hystological studies report serohemorrhagic leptomeninhitis and focal nonpurulent encephalitis caused by the reproduction of the encephalitozoonosis causative agent spores. Development of structural and functional complex disorders observed in rabbits kidneys caused by the development of dystrophic-necrobiotic changes in the tubules against the background of congestion. A bioassay determined, that urine of the rabbits ill with encephalitozoonosis can be a source of the encephalitozoonosis invasion.