The parasitic protozoa, Eimeria coecicola, causes intestinal coccidiosis in rabbits and, thereby, enormous economic losses in rabbit farms. This study aimed to investigate the trace elements changes in the appendix of infected rabbits with E. coecicola. Rabbits were orally infected with 50000 sporulated oocysts of E. coecicola, began to shed parasitic oocysts with their faeces on day 5 post-insemination (p.i.) and approximately 1.1 million oocysts were maximally shedded on day 7 p.i. At maximal shedding, animals were euthanized and appendiceal samples were collected. The coccidial infection was accompanied with a decrease in weight of infected rabbits reaching 25% at day 7 p.i. Our results showed that the concentration of iron, boron, cadmium, cobalt, manganese and zinc was significantly increased due to E. coecicola infection. On the contrary, the concentration of sodium, potassium and calcium was not significantly changed. Also the number of goblet cells in the appendiceal villi was significantly decreased. It was shown that E. coecicola infection has induced an alteration in the level of some trace elements as well as goblet cells.

Key words: Trace elements, Eimeria coecicola, rabbits.