1. [Imported coenurosis in sheep].
- Author
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Schweizer G, Grünenfelder F, Sydler T, Rademacher N, Braun U, and Deplazes P
- Subjects
- Animals, Benzimidazoles therapeutic use, Brain parasitology, Brain pathology, Brain Diseases drug therapy, Brain Diseases parasitology, Brain Diseases surgery, Cestode Infections drug therapy, Cestode Infections surgery, Cestode Infections transmission, Cysticercosis drug therapy, Cysticercosis surgery, Cysticercosis transmission, Cysticercosis veterinary, Disease Outbreaks veterinary, Disease Reservoirs veterinary, Dog Diseases transmission, Dogs, Echinococcosis drug therapy, Echinococcosis surgery, Echinococcosis veterinary, Female, Italy, Praziquantel therapeutic use, Prognosis, Sheep, Sheep Diseases epidemiology, Sheep Diseases parasitology, Switzerland epidemiology, Taenia, Treatment Outcome, Anthelmintics therapeutic use, Brain Diseases veterinary, Cestode Infections veterinary, Sheep Diseases drug therapy, Sheep Diseases surgery
- Abstract
Thirteen sheep from a milk producing farm in the Canton of Grisons that presented chronic coenurosis were examined and subjected to treatment trials at the veterinary hospital in Zurich. Symptoms were first observed around two months after the import of two dogs from Italy (Abruzza) of which one was infected with Taenia multiceps and Echinococcus granulosus. The most frequently observed clinical symptoms of the sheep were reduced general condition, circling, reduced menace reflex, apathy, unsteady gait and head tilt. Analyses of cerebrospinal fluid revealed an increased leucocyte count in 3 sheep and eosinophilia in 4 sheep. In 4 animals that underwent computertomography, one or more hypodense, definable lesions were found in the brain. In 2 sheep surgical treatment and in 10 animals medical treatment with either Praziquantel (n=8) or Oxfendazol (n=2) was attempted. Only one animal treated with Praziquantel needed not to be euthanized. At necropsy, one or two coenurus cysts could be found either in a side ventricle (n=2), in the cerebellum (n=3) or in the cerebrum (n=7). The locations corresponded with the clinical findings. Despite Praziquantel or Oxfendazol treatment, living protoscoleces could be found in the parasite cysts.
- Published
- 2006
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