Subclinical proliferative enteropathy in sentinel rabbits associated with Lawsonia intracellularis

Light microscopic and ultrastructural changes of naturally acquired prolife rative enteropathy were observed in two of three young sentinel New Zealand White rabbits. The etiologic agent, Lawsonia intracellularis, was demonstr ated in the tissues using morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular m ethods. Proliferative enteropathy was associated with infection of villous and crypt enterocytes by intracellular organisms genotypically and antigeni cally related to L. intracellularis of various other animal species.