Neuropathology of Encephalitoxoon cuniculi infection in rabbits.

The lesions of encephalitozoonosis in rabbits of the present study were different from the lesions reported in the literature of dogs and foxes, where vascular changes and neutrophilic infiltration can be found. The explanation for the neurotropism of E. cuniculi in rabbits remains unknown. Differential diagnosis of encephalitozoonosis include mainly toxoplasmosis, media/interna otitis and herpes simplex infection. The granulomas caused by E. cuniculi that showed a necrotic center surrounded by epithelioid-like cells are characteristic, in the authors opinion. These granulomas are morphologically different from those caused by T. gondii. Cyst forms of both species can be differentiated by their morphology and by immunohistochemistry. E. cuniculi is a zoonosis and immunocompressed humans are the most susceptible individuals to the infection. Therefore, the authors consider the research in encephalitozoonosis should be increased, also because the incidence of this parasitosis in breeding rabbits population is misreported