Survey and prevalence of Eimeria spp. in meat rabbits in selected districts of the Greater Accra region of Ghana

Raising of rabbits for wealth creation and to improve protein intake among resource-poor communities is a potentially impactful venture. However, common parasitic infestations are among the major challenges to the sustenance of such ventures. Parasites such as Eimeria spp. which cause coccidiosis affect rabbit growth rate and may result in high mortalities. This study was conducted in response to increasing kit mortalities in three municipalities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Two hundred and ninety-six samples of fresh faecal droppings were collected from the faecal trays of rabbits and individually examined for Eimeria oocysts using light microscopy. Prevalence of Eimeria ranged from 60% (Ga South) to 78.4% (Ga Central), with overall prevalence of 67.6%. Eight species of Eimeria were identified namely, E. stiedae, E. intestinalis, E. magna, E. coecicola, E. piriformis, E. irresidua, E. media, and E. perforans. The hepatic species, E. stiedae was dominant in two municipalities and was the overall second most dominant. Rabbits in parts of the Greater Accra region are infested with Eimeria spp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research-backed report of rabbit Eimeria spp. in the Greater Accra region. More research is required on the impact of coccidiosis in rabbits in Ghana.