phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at o:5360 DOI 10.3390/ani16020346 Encephalitozoonosis in Pet Rabbits: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Immunology and Consensus on Clinical Management Members of the microsporidial genus Encephalitozoon have the capacity to infect both mammals and birds, and E. cuniculi is most commonly found in rabbits. With a seroprevalence ranging up to 85%, E. cuniculi can be a problem in pet rabbits as well as in food production and laboratory animal science. While most infections are likely subclinical, there are three main clinical presentations: neurological, renal, and ocular. Typical clinical signs including vestibular disease and phacoclastic uveitis may develop with initial or relapsing infection, while renal infection is usually progressive and associated with non-specific clinical signs. High-sensitivity/specificity ante mortem diagnostic options are lacking, and serological testing most often provides adjunct rather than definitive information such that physical examination and other diagnostics are used more so for ruling out other differentials and comorbidities, rather than confirming infection. In the veterinary community, treatment regimens are variable given the lack of thorough studies and a consensus. The aim of this document is to present the available literature to give a concise review of this organism and its infection of rabbits as well as to propose guidelines and protocols for diagnostics and treatment regimens. In addition, the current challenges and recommendations for further studies are discussed. eng Encephalitozoon Lagomorph Microsporidia Oryctolagus Cuniculus 2026-07-21T15:05:18.289Z LOMv1.0 Author BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Keeble;Emma; FN:Emma Keeble X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5005-1143 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Kϋnzel;Frank; FN:Frank Kϋnzel END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Montiani-Ferreira;Fabiano; FN:Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3933-8864 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Graham;Jennifer; FN:Jennifer Graham X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1478-1509 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Jeklová;Edita; FN:Edita Jeklová X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6060-9083 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Kanfer;Sari; FN:Sari Kanfer END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Lennox;Angela; FN:Angela Lennox END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Desoubeaux;Guillaume; FN:Guillaume Desoubeaux END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Biswell;Ethan; FN:Ethan Biswell X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8923-561X END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Cray;Carolyn; FN:Carolyn Cray X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7180-153X END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Joachim;Anja; FN:Anja Joachim X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3082-6885 END:VCARD https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/scheme https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/text Textdokument Text LOMv1.0 yes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 application/pdf 4686862 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:5360 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:5360/thumbnail LOMv1.0 discipline