Epidemiology of the lymphatic-dwelling filarioid nematode Rumenfilaria andersoni in free-ranging moose (Alces alces) and other cervids of North America.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Moose (Alces alces) are a culturally and economically valued species in Minnesota, where the northeast population has decreased by 60 % since 2006. The cause of the decline is currently unclear; however, parasites, predation, and climate change have all been implicated. Nematode parasites are important pathogens in North American moose, potentially causing severe disease and mortality. Recent spread of Rumenfilaria andersoni, a filarioid nematode of moose, has been documented in Finnish cervids; however, little is known about the epidemiology of this parasite in North America.

Methods

To investigate the prevalence and distribution of R. andersoni, 584 blood samples were collected from live-captured and dead animals and screened microscopically for the presence of

SUBMITTER: Grunenwald CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4983095 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature