| Summary Information |
| Diseases /
List of Parasitic Diseases
/ Disease summary |
| Alternative Names |
Obeliscoides
cuniculi infection in Lagomorphs
|
| Disease Agents |
Obeliscoides
cuniculi, a trichostrongyle. (J213.8.w2)
Known as the rabbit stomach worm. (J40.4.w2)
- Eggs are ingested and migrating third-stage larvae penetrate the
gastric mucosa, where they develop to adults.
- Pre-patent period 16 - 20 days. (J213.8.w2)
about 19 days. (B24);
16 - 25 days in domestic rabbits, 17 - 18 days in captive Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hares. (J1.21.w10);
16 - 22 days in domestic rabbits(J1.19.w17).
- Shedding of eggs continues for 61 - 118 days (J1.19.w17)
or even longer.
- Eggs are non-larvated when passed in faeces. At 22 °C they develop
to infective third stage larvae in 7 - 9 days, but at lower
temperatures this takes longer. (J1.21.w10)
- Female 15 - 18 mm long, males 10 - 14 mm long, spicules brown, 0.44
- 0.47 mm long, distal end bifurcated, each bifurcation ends in a
hook. Eggs 76-86 x 44-45 µm.
- In winter, development is arrested at the L4 stage, with development
then resuming in spring. (J1.21.w10)
(B24, J1.19.w17,
J1.21.w10, J213.8.w2)
Obeliscoides pentolagi is host specific to Pentalagus furnessi - Amami
rabbit. (J469.782.w1)
Graphidium strigosum
- In rabbits and hares in Europe. (B24)
- In the stomach and small intestine. (B24)
- Direct life cycle. (B24)
- Males 8 - 16 mm long, with a bursa which has large lateral
lobes and a small dorsal lobe, spicules 1.1 - 2.4 mm long,
slender, ending in several points. (B24)
- Females 11 - 20 mm, vulva 1.14 - 3.28 mm from the posterior
extremity. (B24)
- There are 40 - 60 longitudinal ridges on the body cuticle. (B24)
- Eggs are 98 - 106 x 50 - 58 µm. (B24)
Biogastanema leporis
- In the stomach and caecum. (J1.36.w10)
Lamothiella romerolagi
Graphidiella ochotonae
Immature Physaloptera sp. (more usually found in carnivores)
have been detected in lagomorphs, but "probably does not develop to
maturity in hares". (J427.63.w1)
|
| Infectious
Agents |
|
| Noninfectious
Agent(s) |
--
|
| Physical
Agent(s) |
--
|
| General Description |
Clinical signs
- Usually asymptomatic. (B24,
J213.8.w2)
- Mild diarrhoea for about a week was noted in a 12-week-old
laboratory (New Zealand white) rabbit which was also infected with Eimeria
sp.. (J495.30.w2)
- With heavy infection:
- Anorexia, lethargy, reduced weight gain. (J213.8.w2,
P113.2005.w5)
- With Graphidium strigosum: heavy infection may
cause weight loss, anaemia and death. (B24,
J514.1.w1,
P113.2005.w5)
Pathological findings
Gross pathology
- GIT:
- No significant pathology except with heavy infection. (B24)
- Gastric mucosa may appear thickened and irregular, with a
"cobblestone" appearance. Adult nematodes may be
visible. (J213.8.w2)
- Petechiae on the gastric mucosa of one experimentally infected Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic European rabbit
at eight days post inoculation. (J1.19.w17)
- Both mature and immature worms may be found on the surface of
the mucosa, in a layer of mucus, usually with the anterior end of
the worm embedded within the mucosa; worms may be found in the
ingesta occasionally. (J1.19.w17)
- In Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail with heavy burdens of Obeliscoides
cuniculi (more than 100 worms each), only mild catarrhal
gastritis was present. (J40.7.w2)
|
| Further Information |
Obeliscoides
cuniculi
- Found in rabbits in the USA. (B24)
- Found in about 40% of Sylvilagus
floridanus - Eastern Cottontail and Sylvilagus transitionalis - New England
cottontail in Connecticut, usually with a light infection
of about 10 worms per individual rabbit, occasionally 100 or more
worms found. It was noted that infection decreased in winter (J40.4.w2)
- Found in Sylvilagus floridanus mallurus (Sylvilagus
floridanus - Eastern Cottontail) and Sylvilagus palustris - Marsh rabbit in North Carolina, USA. (J11.55.w2)
- Natural infection occurs in Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic European rabbit.
(J1.13.w19, J157.15.w1)
- In Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hare in Maine, USA, 141/146 (96.5%) of
hares examined contained Obeliscoides
cuniculi. Intensity of infection was highest in spring to summer with
mainly adult nematodes present and higher numbers of worms in females
than in male hares. In late fall and winter, numbers of nematodes
found decreased and there was an increasing proportion of fourth stage
immature nematodes (to 60% of those found, by December); numbers of
immature worms found then decreased after February. (J1.13.w19)
- Found in Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail in central Pennsylvania. (J1.16.w18)
- Found in the stomachs of 93% of 260 Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail from the southeastern USA, 1966-1967. (J1.16.w19)
- Found in the stomachs of 44% of 45 Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail in western Kentucky, USA, over a period of 15
months starting winter 1979. (J1.19.w15)
- A study in Canada found Obeliscoides
cuniculi in Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hare (prevalence 5 - 84%), Lepus europaeus - Brown hare
(prevalence 0 - 40%) and Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail (prevalence 0 - 20%). These worms were not
found in Lepus arcticus
- Arctic hare. (J1.19.w16)
- These worms have been found in Lepus californicus
- Black-tailed jackrabbit, Sylvilagus palustris - Marsh rabbit,
Sylvilagus aquaticus - Swamp rabbit
(also in Marmota monax - Woodchuck
and in Odocoileus virginianus - White-tailed deer).
(J1.19.w16)
- In Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hare in Alberta, Canada, prevalence of Obeliscoides
cuniculi stomach worms increased with age: first seen at 17 days, in
12% by 25-36 days, in 49% by 61-72 days and 53% by 85-96 days.
Prevalence of adult worms fell from 43% in October to 17% in November,
13% in December, 14% in January, rising to 50% in February and 89% in
March. In adult hares, prevalence was above 90% in July to August,
declining to 35% by January then rising again. (J1.21.w10)
- In a study of Lepus americanus - Snowshoe hare
at Rochester, Alberta, Canada December 1981 to April 1982, while
the population was declining, prevalence in adults ranged from 50
- 83% and in juveniles rose from 8% to 67%. (J1.22.w10)
- Found in 38 to 83% of adult hares depending on season (lowest in
February, but rising rapidly to peak in March). in juveniles, low
prevalence in winter (6 - 8 % December to February) rising to 30% in
March and 67% by April. (J1.22.w10)
- Experimental patent infections in Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hare, Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic European rabbit,
Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail and Marmota monax - Woodchuck.
(J1.19.w17)
- Natural infection in a 12-week-old laboratory (New Zealand white)
rabbit with mild diarrhoea (also infected with Eimeria sp.). (J495.30.w2)
- In a study of
Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail and Sylvilagus transitionalis - New England
cottontail in Connecticut, 40% of rabbits were infected,
usually with 10 - 21 worms but sometimes 100 or more. (J40.4.w2)
- In 210 Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontails from Iowa, 25 rabbits (11.9%) had Obeliscoides
cuniculi in the stomach; a mild catarrhal enteritis was noted in
the individual with the highest burden (51 worms). (J40.4.w3)
- Natural infection in Lepus americanus
- Snowshoe hare in Minnesota; experimental infection
in "a rabbit", of eggs taken from naturally infected Marmota monax
- Woodchuck. (J40.6.w1)
- During a study of Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail in Virginia, Obeliscoides
cuniculus was found. (J524.60.w1)
- Obeliscoides cuniculi was found in 69% of rabbits In a study
of Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail in a high density population on
Fishers Island, New York, where they had been introduced. (J40.8.w1)
- Found in 61% of 167 cottontails [probably Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail] in the eastern USA. (J40.7.w1)
- Found in 19/44 Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail in California. (J40.7.w2)
- Found in Sylvilagus transitionalis - New England
cottontail. (J469.55.w1)
- Found in Sylvilagus audubonii - Desert
cottontail. (J469.106.w1)
- Found in Sylvilagus aquaticus - Swamp rabbit.
(J469.151.w1)
- Found in Sylvilagus palustris - Marsh rabbit.
(J469.153.w1)
- In Sylvilagus floridanus - Eastern
cottontail in Alabama, 1939, found in 44 of 50 rabbits,
with 3 - 100 worms per host, average 30. (J332.28.w3)
- Found in Lepus californicus - Black-tailed Jackrabbit.
(J469.530.w1)
- Found in Sylvilagus floridanus -
Eastern Cottontail. (J469.136.w1)
Obeliscoides pentolagi
Graphidium strigosum
- Graphidium strigosum may be found in as many 40 - 60% of Lepus europaeus - Brown hare.
(J514.1.w1)
- Graphidium strigosum is found in wild rabbits and hares in
Europe, in the stomach and the small intestine. (B24)
- Graphidium strigosum is found in wild Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
and in Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic rabbit
in Australia and Europe (including Britain). It has also been reported
to occur in both Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic rabbit
and wild lagomorphs in North America. (B614.11.w11)
- Graphidium strigosum was present in 55% of Lepus timidus -
Mountain hare
from 30 Scottish estates in 1998/1999 and in 39% of individuals in
1999/2000. (J505.35.w1)
- Graphidium strigosum was detected in 38% of Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
collected over a ten-year period in eastern Scotland. (J1.24.w13)
- Graphidium strigosum was detected in 2% of Lepus europaeus - Brown hare
and none of introduced Lepus granatensis -
Granada hare in a lowland area of southern France,
and in 5% of Lepus europaeus - Brown hare
from a mountain region. (J1.43.w3)
- Graphidium strigosum was found in Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
in Perthshire, Scotland, 1977 - 1999. (J505.31.w1)
- Graphidium strigosum was found in 64.3% of Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
and 80% of brown hares Lepus capensus (Lepus europaeus - Brown hare)
from the Isle of Coll, Scotland, UK, 1985. (J46.212.w1)
- Graphidium strigosum has been detected in Oryctolagus cuniculus - European
rabbit in New Zealand. (J194.24.w1)
- In a study of Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
in eastern Scotland, found in 33% of 786 rabbits collected 1977 -
1982. Numbers were highest in january to march and lower in August
to October. (J175.59.w1)
- In a study of Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
in Yorkshire, UK, Graphidium strigosum was found in 78%. (J175.73.w2)
- Found in Sylvilagus aquaticus - Swamp rabbit.
(J469.151.w1)
- Found in Lepus timidus -
Mountain hare.
(J469.495.w1)
Biogastanema leporis
Physaloptera sp.
- In a study of 130 Lepus californicus melanotus (Lepus californicus
- Black-tailed jackrabbit) in Kansas,
1956-57,immature female Physaloptera sp. were detected in three
individuals, mainly in the stomach (one worm each in two hares, four
worms in a third hare, with two worms also in the small intestines of
the third hare). (J427.63.w1)
Graphidiella ochotonae
Lamothiella romerolagi
Transmission
- Faeco-oral: ingestion of eggs. (J213.8.w2)
- Note: pasture products (hay, grass clippings fed to indoor
rabbits may be contaminated. (J495.30.w2)
Diagnosis
- Microscopic examination of a fresh faecal smear, or faecal flotation
for eggs. (J213.8.w2)
- Endoscopy: gastric mucosa may appear thickened and irregular, with a
"cobblestone" appearance. Adult nematodes may be visible. (J213.8.w2)
Treatment
- Ivermectin 0.2 - 0.4 mg/kg subcutaneously, repeat after 10 - 14
days. (J213.8.w2)
- Prognosis is good, except that severely stunted individuals may
never reach full expected size. (J213.8.w2)
- 25 ppm
in feed for five days was effective at eliminating Obeliscoides
cuniculi in laboratory rabbits. (J83.15.w3)
Prevention
- Ensure pasture products fed to rabbits are uncontaminated. (J213.8.w2,
J495.30.w2)
|
| Associated Techniques |
|
| Host taxa groups /species |
Lagomorphs
Other species:
|
| Disease
Author |
Dr Debra Bourne MA VetMB PhD MRCVS
(V.w5); Nikki
Fox BVSc MRCVS (V.w103) |
| Referees |
William Lewis BVSc CertZooMed MRCVS (V.w129);
Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior MA,PhD,DSc (H c: Mult) , AM(H c),DVM&S (H.c),DVMS(H.c) ,DVM(H,c) F.Med Sci.,Hon FRCVS F.Inst Biol. F.R.C.Path (H.c), DVSM, MRCVS
(V.w135) |