Dependence of the immune response to coccidiosis on the age of rabbit suckling

Abstract

To study the immune response to coccidiosis, the suckling rabbits were inoculated with 2,000 oocysts of either Eimeria intestinalis or Eimeria flavescens at 19, 22, 25, 29, and 33 days of age (DA) and in the case of E. intestinalis at 14 and 16 DA as well and sacrificed 14 days later. Another group served as an uninfected control and the rabbits were killed at the same age as their infected counterparts. Unlike the antibody response, the parameters reflecting cellular immunity (total number of leukocytes in mesenteric lymph nodes, lymphocyte proliferation upon stimulation with specific antigen and the dynamics of CD4+ and CD8+ cell proportions in the intestinal epithelium at the specific site of parasite development) were significantly changed from about 25 DA onwards. In contrast to the rabbits infected with weakly immunogenic coccidium E. flavescens, the proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in intraepithelial lymphocytes from the specific site of parasite development were considerably changed after infection with highly immunogenic species E. intestinalis. As the immune system of sucklings from about 25 DA reacts to the infection, this age may be considered in terms of vaccination against coccidiosis.

Prevalence, pathology and risk factors for coccidiosis in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in selected regions in Kenya

“…Despite good cage sanitation, fecal coccidian oocyst loads from majority of the farms were unsatisfactory (>1000 OPG). This was in contrary to the findings by Gonz alez-Redondo et al (2008) and Pakandl et al (2008) that good farm hygiene is sufficient to maintain low coccidian levels on a farm.…”

“…First, na€ ıve rabbits are more susceptible to infection from adult carriers especially after weaning (Pakandl et al 2008;Papeschi et al 2013) and since most rabbit keepers in Kenya (50.8%) mainly housed their rabbits in groups, housing and husbandry practices are likely risk factors. Second, weaning stress has been reported to lower immunity of rabbits to infection (Papeschi et al 2013).…”

“…The condition in domestic rabbits occurs either in the intestines (intestinal coccidiosis) or liver (hepatic coccidiosis) and mainly in young rabbits (Coudert et al 1995;Pakandl et al 2008;Papeschi et al 2013) and rabbits housed in poor environmental sanitation and poor hygienic practices (Gonz alez-Redondo et al 2008). Depending on the clinical symptoms including weight loss, diarrhea and subsequent mortality, intestinal coccidian species can be classified into three types.…”

Occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in slaughter rabbits

“…Previous study (Pakandl et al 2008; Papeschi et al 2013) showed that the number of oocysts shedding in feces is correlated to the intensity of invasion, age, and immune status of animals. Oocyst shedding pattern also depends on sex and physiological condition.…”

Oocyst excretion pattern of three intestinal Eimeria species in female rabbits

“…On the other hand, mean oocyst number registered in the juvenile period of examined animals was significantly higher compared to those observed after the 2 parturitions. This may depend on the incomplete maturity of the immune system of kits and/or of the lack of a protective immune response deriving from previous infections (Gomez-Bautista et al, 1987;Grès et al, 2003;Gutierrez, 2003;Pakandl et al, 2008). Indeed, in rabbits the development of an acquired resistance to Eimeria infections appears at about 3 mo of age (Gomez-Bautista et al, 1987).…”