Prevalence of coccidiosis in local breed rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Baghdad province

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Eimeria species in local breed rabbits. Eighty local breed rabbits of both sexes were examined. The results revealed, that (58) rabbits were infected with a total prevalence rate of (72.5%). The intestinal Eimeria have recorded the higher prevalence rate (55%) compared with the liver Eimeria (3.75%), and the mixed infection of intestinal and liver Eimeria (13.75%). The infection with oocyst of Eimeria perforans species display the highest prevalence rate (31.25%) followed by the E. piriformis, E. irresidua, E. media, E. flavescens, E. coecicola, E. exigua, E. intestinalis, E. magna and Eimeria stiedae with an prevalence rate of (27.5, 11.25, 17.5, 28.75, 13.75, 18.75, 23.75, 28.75 % and 17.5%) respectively. The mean and the SE of the length and the width of Eimeria species oocyst were found as: Eimeria stiedae (32.5±0.64) x (20.5±0.30) (μm), E. perforans (20.07±0.64) x (14.21±0.40), E. piriformis (24.38±0.41) x (16.54±0.29), E. irresidua (24.38±0.41) x (16.54±0.29), E. media (27.14±0.96) x (17.10±0.76), E. flavescens (30.30±0.59) x (19.93±0.46), E. coecicola (32.22±1.07) x (19.90±0.62), E. exigua (32.22±1.07) x (19.90±0.62), E. magna (33.78±0.62) x (20.52±0.58) and E. intestinalis (26.5±0.39) x (17.6±0.24) (μm). The mixed infection was most common with no significant differences appeared between males and females.