FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire2013; 77(2); 110-119;

The rabbit as an infection model for equine proliferative enteropathy.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the susceptibility of rabbits to Lawsonia intracellularis obtained from a case of clinical equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). This is a preliminary step toward developing a rabbit infection model for studying pathogenesis and therapy of EPE in horses. Nine does were equally assigned to 3 groups. Animals in 2 groups (Group 1 and Group 2) were orally inoculated with different doses of cell-cultured L. intracellularis. Controls (Group 3) were sham-inoculated. Feces and blood were collected before the rabbits were infected and at 7, 14, and 21 days post-infection (DPI). Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were measured using an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) and fecal samples were analyzed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). A doe from each group was euthanized at 7, 14, and 21 DPI for collection and evaluation of intestinal samples. Tissues were stained by routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) method and immunohistochemistry (IHC) with L. intracellularis-specific mouse monoclonal antibody. At 14 DPI, serologic responses were detected in both infected groups, which maintained high titers through to 21 DPI. Lawsonia intracellularis DNA was detected in the feces of Group 2 on 7 DPI and in both infected groups on 14 DPI. Gross lesions were apparent in Group 1 and Group 2 on 14 DPI. Immunohistochemistry confirmed L. intracellularis antigen within cells of rabbits in Group 1 and Group 2 on 7, 14, and 21 DPI. No lesions, serologic response, shedding, or IHC labeling were found in Group 3 rabbits. This study describes an EPE rabbit model that simulates natural infection, as typical lesions, immune response, and fecal shedding were present. Cette étude visait à démontrer la susceptibilité des lapins à Lawsonia intracellularis obtenu d’un cas clinique d’entéropathie proliférative équine (EPE). Ceci est une étape préliminaire dans le développement d’un modèle d’infection chez le lapin pour étudier la pathogénie et le traitement de l’EPE chez les chevaux. Neuf lapines ont été assignées également à 3 groupes. Les animaux dans deux groupes (Groupe 1 et Groupe 2) ont été inoculés oralement avec différentes doses de L. intracellularis cultivés sur cellules. Les témoins (Groupe 3) étaient faussement inoculés. Des fèces et du sang ont été prélevés avant que les lapins soient infectés et aux jours 7, 14 et 21 post-infection (DPI). Les titres sériques d’immunoglobulines G (IgG) ont été mesurés par une épreuve d’immunoperoxydase en monocouche (IPMA) et les échantillons de fèces ont été analysés par réaction quantitative d’amplification en chaîne par la polymérase (qPCR). Une lapine de chaque groupe a été euthanasiée 7, 14 et 21 DPI pour prélèvement et évaluation d’échantillons intestinaux. Les tissus étaient colorés à l’aide d’hématoxyline et éosine (H&E) et en immunohistochime (IHC) avec un anticorps monoclonal de souris spécifique à L. intracellularis. Au jour 14 post-infection, une réponse sérologique a été détectée chez les animaux des deux groupes infectés, et des titres élevés ont été maintenus jusqu’à 21 DPI. De l’ADN de L. intracellularis fut détecté dans les fèces du Groupe 2 au jour 7 PI et dans les 2 groupes infectés au jour 14 PI. Des lésions macroscopiques étaient apparentes dans le Groupe 1 et le Groupe 2 au jour 14 PI. L’immunohistochime a confirmé la présence d’antigène de L. intracellularis à l’intérieur des cellules de lapins dans les Groupes 1 et 2 aux jours 7, 14 et 21 PI. Aucune lésion, réponse sérologique, excrétion, ou marquage en IHC n’ont été trouvés chez les lapins du Groupe 3. La présente étude décrit un modèle lapin d’EPE qui imite l’infection naturelle, étant donné la présence de lésions typiques, de réponse immunitaire et d’excrétion fécale.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2013-10-02 PubMed ID: 24082402PubMed Central: PMC3605926
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study aims to prove that rabbits can be used as an infection model to study equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE), a disease in horses caused by the bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis. By confirming the rabbits’ vulnerability to this bacterium, scientists can develop better understanding of the disease to improve treatments for horses.

Study Design and Methodology

  • The researchers divided nine female rabbits into three equal groups.
  • The two test groups (Group 1 and Group 2) were orally infected (inoculated) with distinct doses of cell-cultured L. intracellularis. Meanwhile, the control group (Group 3) were sham-inoculated, meaning they underwent a similar process but were not actually infected.
  • Before inoculation and at various points post-inoculation (day 7, 14, and 21), they collected feces and blood samples from all the rabbits.
  • Using a specific lab test (IPMA), they measured the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers, an indicator of the rabbits’ immune responses.
  • They also performed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on the fecal samples to detect the presence of L. intracellularis DNA.
  • A rabbit from each group was euthanized at 7, 14, and 21 days post-infection to collect and examine intestinal samples.
  • The researchers carried out histology (H&E staining) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on these tissue samples.

Study Findings

  • On day 14 post-infection, serologic responses indicating immune activity were identified in the infected groups (Group 1 and Group 2), and these remained high until day 21 post-infection.
  • L. intracellularis DNA was discerned in the feces of rabbits in Group 2 on day 7, and in both infected groups on day 14.
  • Gross lesions, evident signs of the disease, were noticeable in the infected groups on day 14.
  • IHC confirmed the presence of L. intracellularis within the rabbits’ cells in both infected groups across all time points.
  • No indications of disease, such as lesions, immune response, bacterial shedding or IHC labeling were found in Group 3 rabbits.

Conclusion

  • This research successfully demonstrates a preliminary rabbit infection model for studying EPE in horses, successfully mimicking natural infection.
  • The model reflected typical illness symptoms, immune responses, and bacterial shedding, providing a viable tool for further studying the pathogenesis and treatment of EPE.
  • However, additional studies would be useful to expand and corroborate these findings.

Cite This Article

APA
Sampieri F, Allen AL, Pusterla N, Vannucci FA, Antonopoulos AJ, Ball KR, Thompson J, Dowling PM, Hamilton DL, Gebhart CJ. (2013). The rabbit as an infection model for equine proliferative enteropathy. Can J Vet Res, 77(2), 110-119.

Publication

Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire
ISSN: 1928-9022
NlmUniqueID: 8607793
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 77
Issue: 2
Pages: 110-119

Researcher Affiliations

Sampieri, Francesca
  • Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences (Sampieri, Antonopoulos, Ball, Dowling, Hamilton), Department of Veterinary Pathology (Allen), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA (Pusterla); Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA (Vannucci, Gebhart); Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Thompson).
Allen, Andrew L
    Pusterla, Nicola
      Vannucci, Fabio A
        Antonopoulos, Aphroditi J
          Ball, Katherine R
            Thompson, Julie
              Dowling, Patricia M
                Hamilton, Don L
                  Gebhart, Connie J

                    MeSH Terms

                    • Animals
                    • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / veterinary
                    • Enteritis / microbiology
                    • Enteritis / pathology
                    • Enteritis / veterinary
                    • Feces / microbiology
                    • Female
                    • Horse Diseases / microbiology
                    • Horses
                    • Jejunal Diseases / microbiology
                    • Jejunal Diseases / pathology
                    • Jejunal Diseases / veterinary
                    • Jejunum / pathology
                    • Lawsonia Bacteria
                    • Polymerase Chain Reaction
                    • Rabbits

                    Grant Funding

                    • Canadian Institutes of Health Research

                    References

                    This article includes 40 references
                    1. Pusterla N, Mapes S, Rejmanek D, Gebhart C. Detection of Lawsonia intracellularis by real-time PCR in the feces of free-living animals from equine farms with documented occurrence of equine proliferative enteropathy.. J Wildl Dis 2008;44:992–998.
                      pubmed: 18957657
                    2. Lawson GH, Gebhart CJ. Proliferative enteropathy.. J Comp Pathol 2000;122:77–100.
                      pubmed: 10684678
                    3. McOrist S, Gebhart CJ, Boid R, Barns SM. Characterization of Lawsonia intracellularis gen. nov., sp. nov., the obligately intracellular bacterium of porcine proliferative enteropathy.. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1995;45:820–825.
                      pubmed: 7547305
                    4. Cooper DM, Swanson DL, Barns SM, Gebhart CJ. Comparison of the 16S ribosomal DNA sequences from the intracellular agents of proliferative enteritis in a hamster, deer, and ostrich with the sequence of a porcine isolate of Lawsonia intracellularis.. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1997;47:635–639.
                      pubmed: 9226893
                    5. Hotchkiss CE, Shames B, Perkins SE, Fox JG. Proliferative enteropathy of rabbits: The intracellular Campylobacter-like organism is closely related to Lawsonia intracellularis.. Lab Anim Sci 1996;46:623–627.
                      pubmed: 9001174
                    6. Pusterla N, Gebhart C. Equine proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis.. Equine Vet Educ 2009;8:415–418.
                      pmc: PMC7163693pubmed: 32313386
                    7. Wong DM, Alcott CJ, Sponseller BA, Young JL, Sponseller BT. Impaired intestinal absorption of glucose in 4 foals with Lawsonia intracellularis infection.. J Vet Intern Med 2009;23:940–944.
                      pubmed: 19566855
                    8. Vannucci FA, Borges EL, de Oliveira JS, Guedes RM. Intestinal absorption and histomorphometry of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) experimentally infected with Lawsonia intracellularis.. Vet Microbiol 2010;145:286–291.
                      pubmed: 20418028
                    9. Brees DJ, Sondhoff AH, Kluge JP, Andreasen CB, Brown CM. Lawsonia intracellularis-like organism infection in a miniature foal.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1999;215:511–514.
                      pubmed: 10461636
                    10. Williams NM, Harrison LR, Gebhart CJ. Proliferative enteropathy in a foal caused by Lawsonia intracellularis-like bacterium.. J Vet Diagn Invest 1996;8:254–256.
                      pubmed: 8744752
                    11. Schumacher J, Schumacher J, Rolsma M, Brock KV, Gebhart CJ. Surgical and medical treatment of an Arabian filly with proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis.. J Vet Intern Med 2000;14:630–632.
                      pubmed: 11110386
                    12. Duhamel GE, Wheeldon EB. Intestinal adenomatosis in a foal.. Vet Pathol 1982;19:447–450.
                      pubmed: 7090144
                    13. Frazer ML. Lawsonia intracellularis infection in horses: 2005–2007.. J Vet Intern Med 2008;22:1243–1248.
                      pubmed: 18681919
                    14. Lavoie JP, Drolet R, Parsons D. Equine proliferative enteropathy: A cause of weight loss, colic, diarrhoea and hypoproteinaemia in foals on three breeding farms in Canada.. Equine Vet J 2000;32:418–425.
                      pubmed: 11037264
                    15. Lawson GH, McOrist S, Jasni S, Mackie RA. Intracellular bacteria of porcine proliferative enteropathy: Cultivation and maintenance in vitro.. J Clin Microbiol 1993;31:1136–1142.
                      pmc: PMC262892pubmed: 8501214
                    16. Jasni S, McOrist S, Lawson GH. Experimentally induced proliferative enteritis in hamsters: An ultrastructural study.. Res Vet Sci 1994;56:186–192.
                      pubmed: 8191009
                    17. Stills HF Jr. Isolation of an intracellular bacterium from hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) with proliferative ileitis and reproduction of the disease with a pure culture.. Infect Immun 1991;59:3227–3236.
                      pmc: PMC258157pubmed: 1879939
                    18. Murakata K, Sato A, Yoshiya M. Infection of different strains of mice with Lawsonia intracellularis derived from rabbit or porcine proliferative enteropathy.. J Comp Pathol 2008;139:8–15.
                      pubmed: 18479698
                    19. Stills HF Jr, Hook RR Jr. Experimental production of proliferative ileitis in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) by using an ileal homogenate free of Campylobacter jejuni.. Infect Immun 1989;57:191–195.
                      pmc: PMC313067pubmed: 2462537
                    20. Stills HF, Fox JG, Plaster BJ, Dewhirst FE. A ‘new’ Clamydia sp strain SFPD isolated from transmissible proliferative ileitis in hamsters.. Microb Ecoln Health Dis 1991;4:S99.
                    21. Stills HF Jr, Hook RR Jr, Sprouse RF. Utilization of monoclonal antibodies to evaluate the involvement of Campylobacter jejuni in proliferative ileitis in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetis auratus). Infect Immun 1987;55:2240–2246.
                      pmc: PMC260685pubmed: 3623701
                    22. Boutrup TS, Schauser K, Agerholm JS, Jensen TK. Application of a pig ligated intestinal loop model for early Lawsonia intracellularis infection.. Acta Vet Scand 2010;52:17.
                      pmc: PMC2843685pubmed: 20181246
                    23. Boutrup TS, Boesen HT, Boye M, Agerholm JS, Jensen TK. Early pathogenesis in porcine proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis.. J Comp Pathol 2010;143:101–109.
                      pubmed: 20167332
                    24. Jasni S, McOrist S, Lawson GH. Reproduction of proliferative enteritis in hamsters with a pure culture of porcine ileal symbiont intracellularis.. Vet Microbiol 1994;41:1–9.
                      pubmed: 7801512
                    25. Pusterla N, Wattanaphansak S, Mapes S. Oral infection of weanling foals with an equine isolate of Lawsonia intracellularis, agent of equine proliferative enteropathy.. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24:622–627.
                      pubmed: 20337907
                    26. Schoeb TR, Fox JG. Enterocecocolitis associated with intraepithelial Campylobacter-like bacteria in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Vet Pathol 1990;27:73–80.
                      pubmed: 2189255
                    27. Horiuchi N, Watarai M, Kobayashi Y, Omata Y, Furuoka H. Proliferative enteropathy involving Lawsonia intracellularis infection in rabbits (Oryctlagus cuniculus). J Vet Med Sci 2008;70:389–392.
                      pubmed: 18460834
                    28. Watarai M, Yoshiya M, Sato A, Furuoka H. Cultivation and characterization of Lawsonia intracellularis isolated from rabbit and pig.. J Vet Med Sci 2008;70:7731–7733.
                      pubmed: 18685249
                    29. Harcourt-Brown F. Biological characteristics of the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculi). In: Harcourt-Brown F, editor. Textbook of Rabbit Medicine. Woburn: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2002. pp. 1–18.
                    30. Guedes RM, Gebhart CJ. Comparison of intestinal mucosa homogenate and pure culture of the homologous Lawsonia intracellularis isolate in reproducing proliferative enteropathy in swine.. Vet Microbiol 2003;93:159–166.
                      pubmed: 12637004
                    31. Guedes RM, Winkelman NL, Gebhart CJ. Relationship between the severity of porcine proliferative enteropathy and the infectious dose of Lawsonia intracellularis.. Vet Rec 2003;153:432–433.
                      pubmed: 14582733
                    32. Wattanaphansak S, Gebhart CJ, Anderson JM, Singer RS. Development of a polymerase chain reaction assay for quantification of Lawsonia intracellularis.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2010;22:598–602.
                      pubmed: 20622232
                    33. Johnson-Delaney C. Anatomy and physiology of the rabbit and rodent gastrointestinal system 2006.. Proc Assoc Avian Vet 2006:9–17.
                    34. Guedes RM, Gebhart CJ. Preparation and characterization of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against Lawsonia intracellularis.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2003;15:438–446.
                      pubmed: 14535543
                    35. Guedes RM, Gebhart CJ, Deen J, Winkelman NL. Validation of an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay as a serologic test for porcine proliferative enteropathy.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2002;14:528–530.
                      pubmed: 12423042
                    36. Pusterla N, Jackson R, Wilson R, Collier J, Mapes S, Gebhart C. Temporal detection of Lawsonia intracellularis using serology and real-time PCR in Thoroughbred horses residing on a farm endemic for equine proliferative enteropathy.. Vet Microbiol 2009;136:173–176.
                      pubmed: 19019573
                    37. Leutenegger CM, Mislin CN, Sigrist B, Ehrengruber MU, Hoffmann-Lehmann R, Lutz H. Quantitative real-time PCR for the measurement of feline cytokine mRNA.. Vet Immun Immunopath 1999;71:291–305.
                      pmc: PMC7119904pubmed: 10587308
                    38. Duhamel GE, Klein EC, Elder RO, Gebhart CJ. Subclinical proliferative enteropathy in sentinel rabbits associated with Lawsonia intracellularis.. Vet Pathol 1998;35:300–303.
                      pubmed: 9684975
                    39. Jensen TK, Møller K, Leser TD, Jorsal SE. Comparison of histology, immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction for detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in natural porcine proliferative enteropathy.. Eur J Vet Pathol 1997;3:115–123.
                    40. Pusterla N, Vannucci FA, Mapes SM. Efficacy of an avirulent live vaccine against Lawsonia intracellularis in the prevention of proliferative enteropathy in experimentally infected weanling foals.. Am J Vet Res 2012;73:741–746.
                      pubmed: 22533409

                    Citations

                    This article has been cited 4 times.
                    1. Yeh JY. Prevalence and associated risk factors for Lawsonia intracellularis infection in farmed rabbits: A serological and molecular cross-sectional study in South Korea. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1058113.
                      doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1058113pubmed: 36846246google scholar: lookup
                    2. Cooper TK, Meyerholz DK, Beck AP, Delaney MA, Piersigilli A, Southard TL, Brayton CF. Research-Relevant Conditions and Pathology of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Naked Mole Rats, and Rabbits. ILAR J 2021 Dec 31;62(1-2):77-132.
                      doi: 10.1093/ilar/ilab022pubmed: 34979559google scholar: lookup
                    3. Sampieri F, Vannucci FA, Allen AL, Pusterla N, Antonopoulos AJ, Ball KR, Thompson J, Dowling PM, Hamilton DL, Gebhart CJ. Species-specificity of equine and porcine Lawsonia intracellularis isolates in laboratory animals. Can J Vet Res 2013 Oct;77(4):261-72.
                      pubmed: 24124268
                    4. Pusterla N, Gebhart C. Lawsonia intracellularis infection and proliferative enteropathy in foals. Vet Microbiol 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):34-41.
                      doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.06.017pubmed: 23871678google scholar: lookup
                    Subscribe to our newsletter
                    Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.