EXPERIMENTAL INFECTIONS OF 2 LLAMAS WITH THE MENINGEAL WORM (PARELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-TENUIS)

Two adult female llamas (Lama glama) were inoculated orally with meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) larvae to determine the effects of infection. One llama given 48 larvae developed paralysis 51 days after inoculation and was euthanized. A second llama given six larvae developed incoordination and hypermetria 51-57 days after inoculation and died during transport 65 days after inoculation. Infection in both llamas was characterized by incoordination, hypermetria, reluctance to stand, eosinophilia of cerebrospinal fluid, and severe meningoencephalomyelitis associated with migrating P. tenuis larvae. Based on these experimental infections, signs and lesions occur within 2 mo of infection and can be fatal in llamas.