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1 October 2002 Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in a Moose in Norway
Kjell Handeland
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Abstract

A case of cerebrospinal nematodiasis in a young adult moose (Alces alces) from Telemark county, southeastern Norway, is described. The moose was found by bird hunters during January, displaying signs of severe posterior paresis. It was killed and submitted for autopsy. The carcass was emaciated, and there were skin excoriations and subcutaneous edema over both metacarpi. Histopathologic examination revealed traumatic malacia throughout the spinal cord and meningeal accumulations of mononuclear inflammatory cells and eosinophils in brain and spinal cord. Two adult female nematodes were found in sections, respectively, of the subarachnoid and subdural spaces of the thoracic spinal cord. The nematode cross sections were similar with those of the two neurotropic Elaphostrongylus species, E. rangiferi and E. cervi. The moose originated from an area overlapping the grazing area of a large population of wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) living on the mountain plateau of Hardangervidda, suggesting the moose was infected with E. rangiferi from reindeer.

Handeland: Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in a Moose in Norway
Kjell Handeland "Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in a Moose in Norway," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 38(4), 817-821, (1 October 2002). https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-38.4.817
Received: 4 January 2002; Published: 1 October 2002
KEYWORDS
Alces alces
case report
cerebrospinal nematodiasis
Elaphostrongylus rangiferi
moose
paresis
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