Rabbit Syphilis Diagnosed Clinically in Household Rabbits

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 65; no. 5; pp. 637 - 639
• Main Authors: TAGAWA, Masayo, HASEGAWA, Atsuhiko, SAITO, Kumiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 01.05.2003; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Animal Diseases - diagnosis; Animal Diseases - microbiology; Animals; Animals, Domestic - microbiology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Chloramphenicol - administration & dosage; Chloramphenicol - therapeutic use; clinical sign; Female; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - veterinary; Male; Penicillins - administration & dosage; Penicillins - therapeutic use; rabbit syphilis; Rabbits - microbiology; Skin - pathology; Skin Diseases - diagnosis; Skin Diseases - microbiology; Skin Diseases - veterinary; Syphilis - diagnosis; Syphilis - drug therapy; Syphilis - veterinary; Treponema; Treponema pallidum
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.65.637

This paper deals with 16 cases presented from April to December 2001 and diagnosed clinically as rabbit syphilis, because they showed distinct lesions around the nose and/or mouth, responded to chemotherapy, and the "Rapid Plasma Reagin" test was positive. Twelve cases exhibited initial symptoms and four were relapses. Lesions around the genitalia and/or anus as well as the nose and/or mouth were seen in 8 cases, and 6 cases indicated sneezing. Fifteen cases were successfully treated with oral administration of chloramphenicol, and one was treated with long-acting penicillin by intramuscular injection. The mean age of onset was 8.8 months. As none of these cases had any mating history, the disease was likely to be maternally transmitted.