University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of 2000 Elaeophorosis in Red Deer from Spain Mónica Santín-Durán Universidad Complutense de Madrid, [email protected] J. M. Alunda Universidad Complutense de Madrid J. M. San Miguel Universidad Complutense de Madrid Eric P. Hoberg Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, [email protected] C. de la Fuente Universidad Complutense de Madrid Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Parasitology Commons, Veterinary Infectious Diseases Commons, Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Santín-Durán, Mónica; Alunda, J. M.; San Miguel, J. M.; Hoberg, Eric P.; and de la Fuente, C., "Elaeophorosis in Red Deer from Spain" (2000). Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. 822. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs/822 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 36(4), 2000, pp. 779±782 q Wildlife Disease Association 2000 Elaeophorosis in Red Deer from Spain M. SantõÂn-DuraÂn,1,3 J. M. Alunda,1 J. M. San Miguel,1 E. P. Hoberg,2 and C. de la Fuente11Departamento de PatologõÂa Animal I (Sanidad Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain; 2 U.S. National Parasite Collection, USDA, Building 1180 BARC-East, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA; 3 Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]). ABSTRACT: Elaeophorosis, caused by Elaeo- over a 1 yr period and involved monthly phora elaphi, was observed in red deer (Cervus collections from October 1994 to Septem- elaphus) from Toledo Province (Spain) for the ber 1995. One hundred ®fty one red deer ®rst time. Adult specimens of Elaeophora ela- , phi were found in the hepatic vessels of nine in three age groups, 1-yr-old, 1- to 2-yr- of 151 red deer between October 1994 and old and .2-yr-old and representing two September 1995; intensity of infection was two sex-classes were collected and examined. to 18 nematodes per host. Adult nematodes In contrast, collections of fallow deer were were only found during the period from fall through early spring. No differences were pre- limited to 17 animals and as a conse- sent between sex or age groups. Parasites were quence the focus of the study was on C. not found in a limited sample from fallow deer elaphus. (Dama dama). Blood samples were negative for Immediately following collection, prior the presence of micro®lariae. to transport to the necropsy facility at the Key words: Cervus elaphus, Elaeophora elaphi, Dama dama, fallow deer, red deer, sur- park, blood samples were drawn from the vey. heart of each animal. At the necropsy, ®- larial worms found in the hepatic vessels Elaeophorosis is caused by nematodes were collected, counted, and ®xed in phos- of the genus Elaeophora that localize in phate buffered formalin (5%). Necropsies the heart and arterial vasculature of ru- were generally conducted a short time af- minants and horses. Currently six species ter death in order to avoid potential post- are recognized in the genus, with most be- mortem migration of nematodes as de- ing limited to cervid or bovid hosts from scribed for E. schneideri by Adcock and the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Africa (Table Hibler (1969). Blood samples were ®ltered 1). Some species have been regarded as through a ®lter (5 mm mesh) and stained serious pathogens in ruminant hosts, but (methylene blue 1/1,000) prior to micro- in many cases data for life history, epide- scopic examination to check the possible miology, and an understanding of the presence of micro®lariae. Adult ®larial mechanisms for pathogenesis are limited nematodes were studied as temporary (Hibler and Adcock, 1971; Carrasco et al., whole mounts cleared in phenol-alcohol 1995). (80 parts melted phenol crystals and 20 In the present study we report new ®nd- parts absolute ethanol) and examined with ings on the distribution of elaeophorosis in light microscopy using differential inter- red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer ference contrast optics. In males, the tail (Dama dama) in central Spain. The survey was dissected from some specimens to ex- for the occurrence of Elaeophora sp. in amine the characteristics of the caudal pa- red deer and fallow deer was undertaken pillae. in ``Quintos de Mora'', a government- Specimens were consistent with those of owned and managed park located near To- E. elaphi, and the caudal structure in ledo (Spain; 398259N, 48049W). The 6,864 males was as described by HernaÂndez- ha park is composed of two different hab- RodrõÂguez et al. (1986) (Fig. 1). Represen- itats including a plateau at 800 m above tative specimens are deposited in the U.S. sea level crossed by the Las Navas River, National Parasite Collection (USDA, Ag- and a mountainous area reaching 1,235 m ricultural Research Service, Beltsville, in elevation. Survey for parasites extended Maryland, USA; USNPC Nos. 88805± 779 780 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 36, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2000 Âguez et al. Ândez-Rodrõ Oshmarin and Belous (1951) Herna (1986) Carrasco et al. (1995) Hibler and Adcock (1968) O. a Ovis aries a ) ), Odocoileus virginianus, Cervus elaphus canadensis, C. Cervus elaphus Alces alces, Cervus elaphus can- a Ovis aries ), adensis, Rangifer tarandus Cervidae ( hemionus, nippon spp. FIGURE 1. Male ventral caudal end of Elaeopho- ra elaphi from red deer showing the pattern of the papillae. Bar 5 25 mm. Elaeophora 88808) and in the Parasite Collection of the Departamento PatologõÂa Animal I (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain). Elaeophora elaphi, a ®larial worm branches found in the hepatic vessels, was origi- nally described in red deer from CoÂrdoba (Spain) by HernaÂndez-RodrõÂguez et al. (1986). It was reported subsequently from the type host at Ciudad Real (Spain) by Carrasco et al. (1995, 1998), but had not been observed previously in Toledo. In cervids, only this species and E. abramovi (Table 1) occur in the hepatic vessels. Spain Hepatic vessels Cervidae ( Asia and AfricaEuropeUSA Aorta and heart Arteries of limbs Carotid arteries and Bovidae Equidae Sonin (1966) Supperer (1953) Africa Heart Bovidae Bain and Haesevoets (1974) Europe and Asia Hepatic vesselsHerna Cervidae ( Ândez-RodrõÂguez et al. (1986) pro- vided a distinct differential diagnosis for species of Elaeophora, and the males of E. elaphi and E. abramovi are distin- spp. Distribution Locationguished by diagnostic De®nitive host features of the cau- Reference 1. Geographical distribution, hosts, and location in the host of dal papillae and ``area rugosa''. The orig- inal description of the male tail is aug- ABLE The usual de®nitive host. E. elaphi T Elaeophora E. poeli a E. boehmi E. schneideri E. sagittus E. abramovi mented by our Figure 1. SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 781 Infected animals, and adult nematodes, (1995) for E. elaphi in red deer. Addition- were only found during the period extend- ally, Mtei and Sanga (1990) reported less ing from fall through early spring in than eight nematodes per host in a study months of October to March. The num- involving E. poeli in over 4,000 asymptom- bers of red deer examined and the distri- atic cattle. In the current study histology bution of infected animals during this 6 was not performed, but macroscopic le- mo period were 1/19, 3/18, 2/18, 1/18, 1/ sions were not observed. The absence of 13, and 1/10 in October, November, De- such visible lesions as thrombi in the por- cember, January, February, and March, re- tal system contrasts with observations by spectively. Red deer examined in the re- Carrasco et al. (1995). maining sampling periods, 10 in April and Madden et al. (1991) found that moose nine each in May, June, July, August and (Alces alces) when parasitized by more September, were uninfected. Among those than 40 adult E. schneideri were ataxic, red deer found to be hosts (®ve males and wandered in circles, and had poor body four females) parasites were found in all condition. In contrast, all hosts in the cur- age-classes (one in ,1-yr-old; four in 1-to- rent study were in good condition and ap- 2-yr-old; and four in .2-yr-old). Statistical parently were healthy. This may be attrib- analysis (Chi-square and Fisher's Test) utable to the infections of low intensity demonstrated no signi®cant differences in demonstrated in red deer from Toledo. infection between males and females (P 5 Moreover, pathological effects could be re- 0.8706) or among age groups (P 5 0.9934). lated to the host-speci®city. For example, Micro®lariae were not observed in blood E. schneideri does not provoke any clinical samples. signs in its normal mule deer de®nitive The prevalence of infection found in the host. Alternatively, in other cervids (C. current study (6% across the annual sam- nippon and C. elaphus canadensis) and in pling period) was lower than that reported domestic sheep it is the causative agent of by Carrasco et al. (1995) in red deer col- dermatitis, blindness, nervous signs, and lected from an adjacent area (Ciudad Real; occasionally death (Adcock and Hibler, between September and April there were 1969; Hibler and Adcock, 1971). Thus, the 23% with parasites, but the prevalence was host may have an important in¯uence on 41% if we counted those with just lesions the distribution of disease attributable to typical of E.