Parelaphostrongylosis in llamas
Baumgärtner, W.; Zajac, A.; Hull, B.L.; Andrews, F.; Garry, F.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 187(11): 1243-1245
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 4077654 Document Number: 249901
Two llamas from a herd of 15 which shared pastures with white-tailed deer in southeast Ohio, USA, developed posterior ataxia and weakness. Haematological abnormalities were not found. After 3 weeks the llamas were killed. In the cervical portion of the spinal cord of one of the llamas a complete, tightly coiled nematode was found, and fragments of another were found in the thoracic portion. The nematode was identified as an immature female Parelaphostrongylus tenuis. Microscopically, both llamas had the most severe CNS lesions in the cervicothoracic region of the spinal cord. In the 2nd llama the cranial portion of the thoracic spinal cord had several cross sections of a tightly coiled larval P. tenuis. Antemortem diagnoses of cerebrospinal parelaphostrongylosis were based on findings of eosinophilic meningitis and paraplegia, and histories of pastures shared with white-tailed deer.