Infection of Egyptian domestic rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, with Cysticercus pisiformis (Cestoda: Taeniidae): morphological, molecular, and histopathological diagnostic tools

Abstract

Cysticercosis raises the alarm for domestic rabbits since it has a significant impact on their health, productivity, and nutritional value. In this study, several white to cream-colored cysts were detected in the mesentery of the stomach and intestine, as well as embedded in the liver of domestic rabbits collected from Qena Governorate, Egypt. Our morphological and molecular analyses of these cysts reveal that they are Cysticercus pisiformis, the larval stage of Taenia pisiformis. Gross and histopathological investigations of infected organs were documented. To our knowledge, this is the first geographical report on cysticercus pisiformis in domestic rabbits in Qena Governorate, using current morphological, molecular, and histopathological methodologies that provide critical data for developing diagnostic targets for C. pisiformis.