16 Contagious Nasal ratanli of Rabbits. 



The variations arc, however, not eonsidei-ahk; enough to justify a 

 diflferentiation of the alt'ections caused by tlic various tyjics. 



Suedinersen found a l)aciirus of the coli group in pleurisy of 

 rabbits which is identical in its main characteristics with bacilli found 

 by Kraus and Tartakowsky in a similar disease of guinea pigs. 



The above-mentioned ])aeillus of Koppanyi is distinguished by the 

 fact that it is polymorphous, rather plump and surrounded by a 

 capsule. 



Pathogenicity. The bacillus is pathogenic for rabbits, 

 guinea pigs, mice. Rabbits are most susceptible. 



Natural infection usually occurs l)y inhalation of droplets 

 of nasal secretion which are disseminated by sneezing, etc., by 

 the sick animals and are inhaled by healthy rabbits, directly or 

 later on with contaminated dust. The spread of the disease is 

 also favored by feed contaminated with nasal secretion of sick 

 animals, and by transmission through the hands of attendants. 

 Rabbits are susceptible without reference to age. 



Pathogenesis. After their entrance into the nose, the bacilli 

 produce a violent inflammation of the mucosa of the nose and of 

 the accessory cavities and they also get into the general blood 

 circulation; there then occurs an elevation of the general 

 temperature and in some epizootics, in fact, in most cases, an 

 inflammation of the serous membranes and a pneumonia. The 

 inflammation may spread from the nasal cavities into the 

 deeper portions of the respiratory tract. 



Anatomical Changes. The mucosa of the nose and pharynx 

 appears intensely reddened, swollen and covered with purulent 

 material. The accessory nasal cavities, frequently also the 

 bronchi, contain a purulent exudate. In the pleura we find occa- 

 sionally a serous, stringy or even purulent exudate, and the sur- 

 face of the lungs is covered with a fibrinous deposit. The peri- 

 cardium is rarely affected similarly. The lungs often show, 

 aside from compression, atelectatic or l)ronchopneumonic foci. 

 The specific bacilli are found in large numbers in the exudate of 

 the mucosae, in the other affected organs and in the blood. 



Symptoms. Weakness and depression become apparent 

 after a period of incubation of four to six days ; the nares be- 

 come moist and there is frequent sneezing. The temperature 

 rises to 40° C. and above, and the appetite decreases. The nasal 

 secretion is at first scanty and watery, or thick mucoid, and wets 

 the hairs in the nasal region, the thorax and the anterior ex- 

 tremities ; it becomes more abundant and purulent between the 

 second and fifth days of the disease. Material of this kind is ex- 

 pelled by sneezing and snorting, and the animals rub their noses 



