COCCIDIOSIS 29 



fertilized macrogamete is now termed an 

 oocyst, which on being passed out of the body 

 repeats the cycle which has just been described, 



Mocbs of Infection 



From the above description of the rapid de- 

 velopment of the organism, one can understand 

 that once introduced into a rabbitry the disease 

 may spread with extreme rapidity. As before 

 stated, it is introduced into a rabbitry by in- 

 fected rabbits, hutches, food, travelling baskets 

 and crates, etc. The disease attacks rabbits of 

 all ages, but young rabbits from the ages 

 of four to eight weeks old appear to be the 

 most susceptible. It may also attack the young 

 before weaning. Warm weather and a humid 

 atmosphere are inost favorable for its spread, 

 and it is not so prevalent in very hot and dry, 

 or during dry and frosty weather, Damp and 

 wet living quarters and runs are most favor- 

 able to. its rapid spread, partly because such 

 conditions are favorable to the development of 

 the organism and partly owjng to the lowered 

 resistance of the animals that such conditions 

 produce. 



Symptomatology 



The symptoms depend greatly on the inten- 

 sity of the invasion and also whether the liver 

 or the intestines are the most heavily infested. 

 In any case the symptoms so merge themselves 

 into one another that it is not always possible 



