Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in Sheep

Abstract

CEREBROSPINAL nematodiasis has not been reported as a significant disease of sheep .A considerable body of information has accumulated on the disease in deer and other wildlife cervids .Parelaphostrongylus tenuis ( men- ingeal worm ) -previously called Elaphostrongylus ten- uis , Pneumostrongylus tenuis , Neurofilaria cornellensis , and Odocoileostrongylus tenuis-is a common parasite of the central nervous system of the whitetailed deer , Odocoileus virginianus .2-4,8 This parasite aberrantly infects sheep and goats in geographic regions with large deer populations and has been reported in the northeastern United States. 10,11The disease is nonclinical in deer but often serious in sheep.5.6The following is a report of cases from 3 farms in West Virginia . Clinical ObservationsFive sheep from 3 farms in 2 counties of West Virginia with large deer populations provided the case material for this report .Morbidity in the flocks was 11 % (11 of 100 ) , 2 % ( 1 of 50 ) , and 13.3 % (3 of 40 ) .All cases were initially observed in October and November .Among the 5 sheep selected for necropsy , age ranged from 3 months to 1 year .All 5 were bright , alert ,