Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System
PADLS Conferences Spring 2001 9. Enterocecocolitis
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Six New Zealand White rabbits (2 mature adults, 4 juveniles) were presented to the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory (PADLS-PSU) in January, 2001 for postmortem examination. The rabbits had previously exhibited clinical signs which included anorexia, intermittent diarrhea, dehydration and fetal abortion. Approximately 30% of the affected rabbits died.

On gross postmortem examination, all rabbits exhibited severe dehydration. The ceca and sacculated colon of each rabbit were markedly dilated with fecal material. The distal 1/3 of the sacculated colon also contained large amounts of clear gelatinous material. Marked thickening of the wall of the distal ½ of the ileum and the ileocecal junction was also evident in 3 rabbits.

Bacteriologic cultures and rotaviral agglutination procedures performed on intestinal samples were negative for Salmonella sp, Clostridium sp and rotaviral antigen. Fecal parasitology procedures revealed 600 coccidial oocysts per gram of feces in a pooled sample from 2 rabbits. The remaining 4 rabbits did not contain significant intestinal parasites. Histologic lesions within the intestine included severe histiocytic hyperplastic enteritis, necrotizing typhilitis and the presence of numerous cryptal abscesses within the ileum. Ziehl-Neelsen staining procedures performed on intestinal tissue exhibiting histiocytic lesions were negative for the presence of acid-fast bacteria. Warthin-Starry staining procedures were performed on affected intestinal tissues and revealed numerous short and curved bacterial organisms consistent with Lawsonia intracellularis (Campylobacter sp). within the apical cytoplasm of cryptal and villar epithelial cells.

Diarrheal diseases are included among the most important causes of sickness and death in domestic rabbits. Bacterial organisms consistent with Lawsonia intracelluaris (Campylobacter) have been frequently associated with enteric lesions, including histiocytic enterocecocolitis, proliferative enterocecocolitis and necrosuppurative cecocolitis, in rabbits, and are considered an important etiologic agent in this species.

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