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Neural angiostrongylosis in three captive rufous bettongs ( Aepyprymnus rufescens )
Author(s) -
HIGGINS DP,
CARLISLENOWAK MS,
MACKIE J.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1997.tb14194.x
Subject(s) - angiostrongylus cantonensis , lungworm , biology , cerebrospinal fluid , pathology , dexamethasone , physiology , medicine , immunology , endocrinology , helminths
Neurological disease attributed to migration of the rat lungworm ( Angiostrongylus cantonensis ), is described in three captive rufous bettongs ( Aepyprymnus rufescens ). Clinical signs, including ascending paralysis and multifocal neurological deficits, were similar to those seen in other species. Histologically, the severity of meningoencephalomyelitis ranged from mild to moderate. In one animal cerebrospinal fluid contained a high percentage of eosinophils but peripheral blood cell counts were within normal limits. Treatment with dexamethasone, diazepam and vitamin E was unsuccessful. The prognosis for bettongs with this disease is poor. The susceptibility of this species to this disease has implications for enclosure design.