Microsporidia

• Infect a wide range of fish and animals
  • Including humans
    • Causes severe diarrhoea in immunocompromised patients

• Intracellular parasites

• Produce resistant spores
  • Mature organism
  • Contains a polar filament (coiled tube)

• Encephalitozoon cuniculi
  • Found particularly in laboratory and pet rabbits

Life Cycle

• Spores are ingested

• Infects mucosal cells
  • Polar filament pushed through the host cell walls

• Contents of the spore enter the host cell and multiply
  • Differentiates into spores
  • Spreads to target organs
  • Infects macrophages

• Spores infect other host cells or are passed out via the faeces, urine or respiratory secretions

Pathogenesis

• Cells rupture
  • Causes a granulomata in target organ

• Chronic disease

Diagnosis

• Clinical signs
  • Head tilt, incontinence, uveitis, cataracts
  • In most cases is asymptomatic

• Serology
  • ELISA

• Post-mortem
  • Granuloma

Control and Treatment

• Fenbendazole licensed for use in rabbits

• Cull seropositive animals

• Strict hygiene
  • Raise foodbowls and water bottles off ground
  • Do not use tiered hutches