Parasitic conditions of domestic owned rabbits in Osun State, southwestern Nigeria: Retrospective evaluation, risk factors and co-infestations

Abstract

Parasitism is of great concern to the production, reproduction and performance of man and animals. The present study evaluated the parasitic conditions of rabbits brought for medical attention in the major Veterinary hospitals in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria during ten years (2006–2015). A total of 444 rabbits were brought during the study period, out of which 312 (70.27%) was diagnosed for mange, 126 (28.38%) for helminthoses, 60 (13.51%) for coccidiosis and 6 (1.35%) for flea infestation. There was no defined pattern in the yearly and monthly prevalence of these parasitic diseases. Age, sex and season were the statistically significant (P < 0.05) risk factors associated with the prevalence of helminthoses, while age and season were associated with mange at P < 0.05. There was a significant negative correlation in the co-infection of helminthoses and coccidiosis, helminthoses and mange, coccidiosis and mange, while the co-infection of helminthoses with flea infestation, coccidiosis with flea infestation and mange with flea infestation was not statistically significant. These findings could be useful for surveillance, monitoring and designing of appropriate interventions for diseases control in Osun State and Nigeria at large. The proper management, prevention, control and eradication of these disease conditions will improve the production and reproduction of rabbits for better profitability for farmers and increased availability of protein sources for consumers.

The effect of the sex, age, and breed of farmed rabbits and the choice of management system on the extensity and intensity of Eimeria infection

“…In addition, the strength of infection intensifies mainly during the perinatal period and before weaning, which is associated with a considerable decrease in immunity. Older rabbits are typically carriers of coccidians [17,[21][22][23][24][25]. Similarly, Ilić et al [13] reported a greater extensity of coccidial infection in young rabbits (50.6%) than older ones (37.6%).…”

Pathomorphological changes in the large intestine of rabbits parasitised by Passalurus ambiguus (Nematoda, Oxyuridae)

“…Numerous publications indicate the distribution of invasive diseases of wild and domestic rabbits (Bordes et al, 2007;Sürsal et al, 2014;Okumu et al, 2014). It was proved that they can be infested by a number of parasites: helminths, protozoans and ectoparasites (Fernández-Aguilar et al, 2013;Ola-Fadunsin et al, 2018). According to Ilić et al (2018), infestation of rabbits with parasites in Serbia equaled 82.7%.…”

First report of Taenia pisiformis Cysticercus infestation in Domestic rabbits in Hajjah city Yemen

“…Also there was cellular and fatty degradation and infi ltration which is in confi rm with Singla's, et al [19] Al-Najjar, et al [20] and Aman D Moudgil, et al 2016 [21] observation. Their histopathological study of the affected liver showed the presence of fatty changes and infi ltration of mononuclear cells in the affected zones [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”