Molecular diagnosis of Eimeria stiedae in hepatic tissue of experimentally infected rabbits in comparison with traditional methods Original

Mousa, Waheed M.; Arafa, Walid M.; Aboelhadid, Shawky M.

doi:10.21608/evmspj.2015.37917

Molecular diagnosis of Eimeria stiedae in hepatic tissue of experimentally infected rabbits in comparison with traditional methods Original

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Parasitology Departement,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Cairo University.

² Parasitology Departement,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Benisuef University.

³ Parasitology Departement,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine ,Benisuef University.

10.21608/evmspj.2015.37917

Abstract

The early detection of Eimeria stiedae stages in hepatic tissue of experimentally infected rabbits was studied. The experiment was conducted using 40 male New Zealand rabbits of six weeks age. The rabbits were divided into an infected group (A) of 30 rabbit and a control uninfected group (B) of ten rabbits. Group A was infected with 2.5×104 sporulated oocysts of E. stiedae per rabbit at zero day. Three rabbits of group A and one of group B were sacrificed at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15,18,21,24 and 27 day post-infection. Gross findings, light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and molecularly with PCR were applied to detect specific findings of E. stiedae in the liver tissue pre- and post- shedding of oocysts in the feces. Grossly, liver showed irregular yellowish white nodules appeared from the 15th days postinfection and became more prominent gradually. Hepatomegaly and ascites were obvious from the 21-24th day post-infection. Histopathologically, different schizonts and gametocytes of E. stiedae in the biliary epithelium appeared at the 15th day post-infection. Findings of TEM were matched with the light microscopy. PCR showed positive findings starting from the 12th day post-infection using specific E. stiedae primers and its specific amplicon of E. stiedae (976 bp). The shedding of oocysts began from the 17th day post- infection and reached the peak at the 23-25th day PI, then began to decline until the end of the study. In conclusion, the convention PCR detected Eimeria schizont from the 12thday post- infection earlier to PM lesions or before shedding of the oocysts in feces.

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