Mucoid enteropathy as field problem in rabbit farms in Dakahlia governorate

Abstract EN

This work was carried out on 120 rabbits (90 dead, 20 diseased and 10 apparently healthy) of different breeds during autumn and winter seasons (2010-2011), their ages varied from one to 10 weeks.

The suspected cases were collected from different private farms in Dakahlia Gove orate.

The clinical sings were abdominal distention, subnormal temperature, polydipsia, anorexia, severe watery mucous diarrhea and high mortality rate from 5-15 % among infected farms.

The necropsied rabbits revealed partial or complete obstruction of colon with large plug of clear gelatinous mucous.

Moreover, the other portions of gastrointestinal tracts were filled with fluid or pasty content together with gas.

Liquid or dried fecal matter and mixed or coated with mucous were seen in the intestine of some examined rabbits.

Bacteriological examination of the samples showed 92 (76.7 %) positive bacterial isolation of which 40 (43.5 %) single isolates and 52 (56.5 %) mixed isolates.

E.

coli was isolated at incidence percentage 98(68.1 %), Staph, aurous 27 (18.7 %) and Clostridium perfringens type A 19 (13.2 %).

E.

coli isolates were identified serologically into 16 (0119), 12 (0124), 15 (0125), 12 (0126) and 18 (0128) together with 25 untenable isolates.

In vitro sensitivity pattern of isolated strains proved that Enrofloxacin and Gentamycin were the most effective drugs for most isolates while the Clostridium perfringens type A isolates were sensitive to Penicillin and Ampicillin.

Histopathologically, the lesions were mainly confined to small and large intestines as target organs.

Goblet cell metaplasia among the epithelium of the intestinal villi and glands were noticed, accompanied with desquamated epithelial shreds and mucous were observed inside the intestinal lumen.

In severe cases necrosis and desquamation of intestinal tips were seen in some rabbits.

Inflammatory cells with mucous and epithelial cast could be observed in the intestinal lumen in complicated cases.

It could be concluded that good hygienic conditions, balanced nutrition and effective antibiotics play an important role in prevention and control of mucous enteropathy in young rabbits.