The parasites are no longer in the kidneys. However, the spores that have been shed in the urine can remain in the environment for another month. Other rabbits can pick up spores from the environment for several weeks after the infected rabbit has stopped shedding. And since many other animal species can carry and shed these parasites, a rabbit who runs on the ground outdoors is more likely to pick them up. Encephalitozoon Cuniculi Facts Review E. cuniculi are shed only in the urine.
Infectious period lasts only a few days to a few weeks.
The infected animal is not contagious after the E. cuniculi leave the kidneys. E. cuniculi are carried in the blood to other parts of the body, particularly neural tissue. Spores from infected urine can remain in the environment for a month. The parasites can infect and be shed by many other animals but seldom cause clinical disease in other animals. A high number of rabbits throughout the United States have been infected at some time during their life, but few come down with the clinical disease.