Kristen Baumann Christie Kranz Luiza Assis

 Related to deer, but much larger  Also called “wapiti” which means light- colored deer  Common parasites of elk include:  Lungworm (Dictyocaulus)  Arterial worm (Elaeophora schneideri)  Liver fluke (Fascioloides magna)

 Yearling bull elk  In December, left group, became solitary  Began to frequent nearby barn  Clinical signs:  Loss of fear of humans  Ataxia  Loss of balance  Drooping head

Elk was tranquilized, blood drawn Plasma sample tested for presence of antibodies against parasitic worms in an ELISA Results indicated bull elk was exposed Suspected P. tenuis No larvae detected in feces, did find lung- worm Dictyocaulus Euthanized in June due to deteriorating condition

 Meningoencephalomyelitis  Parasite observed in brain sections  Areas of hemorrhages observed in white matter of spinal cord and brain  In lungs, adult female worm with eggs recovered, Dictyocaulus sp.  Severe pulmonary congestion and infiltration of inflammatory cells

 Central nervous system and pulmonary lesions attributable to two different, simultaneous infections  Dictyocaulus & P. tenuis  Dictyocaulus worm found, antibodies detected in blood  Pulmonary lesions

 P. tenuis  Field infected elk rarely pass many P. tenuis larvae  Neurologic disease-L3 migrate aimlessly through CNS in incidental hosts  CNS Lesions found

 Why do elk rarely pass P. tenuis larvae in their feces?