A survey to assess the prevalence of parasitic infections among axis deer (Cervus axis) in three National Parks in India revealed infections with the lungworm Muellerius capillaris. Clinical signs were not evident in infected animals. Therefore, it is suggested that C. axis is probably a carrier of the infection. Under laboratory conditions, terrestrial molluscs (Macrochalamys sp.) were infected with first stage larvae of M. capillaris collected from fecal pellets of C. axis. Feeding of third stage larvae collected from these snails on day 14 post exposure produced patent infections in goats. On day 31 post infection, adult M. capillaris could be collected from the lungs of infected goats. This study establishes the possibility of cross-transmission of M. capillaris between wild and domestic animals in India.
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1 January 1991
PREVALENCE OF MUELLERIUS CAPILLARS IN FREE-RANGING SPOTTED DEER (CERVUS AXIS) IN INDIA AND ITS EXPERIMENTAL CROSS-TRANSMISSION TO GOATS
K. Ramaswamy,
B. M. Arora
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Vol. 27 • No. 1
January 1991
Vol. 27 • No. 1
January 1991
Cervus axis
cross-transmission
lung nematode infection
Muellerius capillaris
sylvatic reservoir hosts
terrestrial molluscs