Skip to main content
  • Published:

Experimental Elaphostrongylus Cervi Infection in Moose (Alces Alces)

Eksperimentell infeksjon av elg (Alces alces) med Elaphostrongylus cervi

Abstract

An 8-week-old male moose calf was inoculated with 360 infective third-stage larvae (L3) of E. cervi. The calf started to expel first-stage larvae (L1) of E. cervi in faeces 63 days after inoculation. The highest faecal larval count of 1,920 L1 per gram faeces was recorded 133 days post inoculation. Clinically, intermittent lameness, mild ataxia and general stiffness were observed over a 3 months’ period from day 75 after inoculation. The symptoms were moderate, faded gradually and were not seen during the last three weeks of the observation period. The calf had a good appetite and the bodyweight increased continuously throughout the experiment. On day 202 after inoculation the calf was euthanized and autopsied. Adult E. cervi were found in the epidural space of the central nervous system (CNS) and in skeletal muscles. Oedema, haemorrhages, discolouration and extensive inflammatory reactions were observed in the fat and loose connective tissue of the epidural space between the 5 th cervical vertebra and cauda equina. Nematodes or lesions indicating nematode infestation could not be demonstrated in the leptomeninges or in the neural parenchyma of the CNS. Numerous eggs and larvae of E. cervi associated with moderate pathological changes were observed in the lungs.

Sammendrag

Til en morløs, 2 måneder gammel dte det gitt 360 tredjestadiums Elaphostrongylus cervi larver (L3), Kalven begynte å skille ut E. cervi larver (LI) med avføringen 03 dager etter at den ble podet. Den høyeste larveutskillelsen med 1.920 larver pr. gram feces ble registrert 133 dager etter inokulering. Kalven viste moderate forstyrrelser i bevegelsesmønsteret med intermitterende halthet, noe korte og stive bevegelser og svak ataksi fra den 75. dagen etter podningen. Symptomene ble observert i en 3 måneders periode, og ble gradvis svakere mot slutten av denne perioden. De siste 3 ukene før kalven ble avlivet ble det ikke registrert symptomer. Kalven hadde god appetitt og tilveksten var jevn under hele forsaket. Kalven ble avlivet og obdusert 202 dager ettet podningen. Kjønnsmodne parasitter ble påvist epiduralt i ryggmargen og i muskulaturen. Patologiske forandringer med ødem, blødninger, misfargning og omfattende betennelsesreaksjoner ble påvist i fettvevet og det løse bindevevet i epiduralrommet. Parasitter eller patologiske forandringer ble ikke påvist hverken i leptomeninger eller nerveparenchym. I lungene ble det påvist rikelig med E. cervi egg og larver, men bare moderate patoldgiske forandringer.

References

  • Cameron TVM: On two new species of nematodes from Scottish red deer. J. Helminthol, 1931, 9, 213–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holt G: Pâvisning av elaphostrongylose hos elg i Sor-Norge gir grunn til en viss engestelse. (Demonstration of elaphpstrongylosis in moose in Southern Norway gives reason for some anxiety). Jakt, fiske og friluftsliv. 1982, 9, 33–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kummeneje K: Encephalomyelitis and neuritis in acute cerebrospinal nematodiasis in reindeer calves. Nprd. Vet.-Med. 1974, 26, 456–458.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kutzer E, Prosl H: Zur Kenntnis von Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron, 1931. I. Morphologie und Diagnose. (Contribution to the knowledge of Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron, 1931. I. Morphology and diagnosis). Wien, tierärztl. M. Sehr. 1975, 62, 256–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lankester MV: Neurological disorders in moose caused by Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron, 1931 from caribou. Proc. 13th North American Moose Conference and Workshop. Jasper, Alberta 1977, 177–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lankester MV, Northcott TH: Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron, 1931 (Nematoda: Metastron- gyloiçtea) in caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of Newfoundland. Can. J. Zool. 1979, 57, 1384–1392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lubimow MP: New worm disease of the brain of deer with unossified antlers. Sbomik naucho- issledovatel’skikh rabot. Laboratory pantovo- go olenvodestva Ministerstva sovkhozov SSSR 1945, 1, 225–232. (In Russian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitskevich WJ: Studies on the life cycle of the nematode Elaphostrongylus rangiferi sp. nov. in reindeer. Dokl. Akad.nauk. SSSR 1958, 118, 253–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosl H, Kutzer E: Zur Biologie und Bekämpfung von Elaphostrongylus cervi. (Biology and control of Elaphostrongylus cervi). Z. Jagdwiss. 1980, 26, 198–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryadko El: Helminths of cervids. Alma Ata, USSR. Izdatel’stvo Nauka Kazakhskoi 1976. 1–224. (In Russian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryadko EJ, Boev SN: Systematics, phylogeny and evolution of Elaphostrongylinea - nematodes of deer. Izv. Akad. nauk. Kaz. SSSR. Ser. Zool. 1971, 3, 74–85. (In Russian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ronèus O, Nordkvist M: Cerebrospinal and muscular nematodiasis (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi) in Swedish reindeer. Acta vet. scand. 1962, 3, 201–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skorping A, Halvorsen O: The susceptibility of terrestrial snails to experimental infection withElaphostrongylus rangiferi Mitskevich (Nema- toda: Metastrongyloidea). Z. Parasitenkd. 1980, 62, 7–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steen, M, Merner T: »Hjämmask« - en ny allvar- lig viltsjukdom. (»Brainworm« - a new serious disease of wild game). Svensk jakt 1985, 7/8, 601–603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuve G: The prevalence of Elaphòsttortgylus cervi infection in moose (Alcês alces) in Southern Norway. Acta vet. scand. 1986, 21, 409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuve G: Elaphostrongylus cervi inföttiofi ftl moose (Alce alces). Prevalence ifid pathological changes in relation to a je and season. Acta vet. scand. 1987, 28, 157–164.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This study was financially supported by the Norwegian Agricultural Research Council. We thank Professor O. Helle and Dr. G. Holt for essential help and guidance, Dr. B. Bratberg for guidance regarding the histological examination, the staff at Dal Research Farm, Heggedal for taking good care of the moose calves and the technicians T. Inge-brigtsen and E. Aronsen for assistance with the rearing of snails.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stuve, G., Skorping, A. Experimental Elaphostrongylus Cervi Infection in Moose (Alces Alces). Acta Vet Scand 28, 165–171 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548237

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548237

Keywords