Morpho-anatomical traits of Cysticercus pisiformis in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cu-niculus)

Abstract

The study was conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Parasitology and Veterinary-Sanitary Examination of the Poltava State Agrarian University. In total, 154 slaughtered rabbits of the Grey Giant breed aged 34 months, reared at private farms of the Poltava region (Ukraine) were examined. The aim of the research was to establish differential morphological and metrical features of meta-cestodes isolated from domestic rabbits. Only one species, Cysticercus pisiformis was recorded; inva-sion rate was 17.53%. White-grey bubbles were found on the serous membranes of the abdominal and, less often, thoracic cavities. The ultrastructural characteristics of the main parts of the scolex, such as suckers, rostellum and hooks are given. The morphometric characteristics of metacestodes collected from male and female rabbits were slightly different. The study of chitinoid hooks had the greatest diagnostic value. A statistically significant variation was noted for large and small hooks. Thus, the average size of large and small hooks was likely to be smaller by 1.33 and 3.37%, respectively in samples obtained from female rabbits. The metacestodes isolated from female rabbits were larger than those obtained from male rabbits regarding length of the handle of the large (114.28 μm vs. 105.26 μm) and small hooks (43.06 μm vs. 39.3 μm, respectively).

Keywords

• cysticercosis
• cysticercus pisiformis
• identification
• morphometric parameters
• rabbits