SUSPECTED CEREBROSPINAL PARASITISM WITH SUBSEQUENT DISSEMINATED PHYCOMYCOSIS AND BACTERIAL-INFECTION IN AN ALPACA (LAMA-PACOS)

A 7-mo-old male alpaca (Lama pacos) was presented in midwinter with cl inical signs of ataxia and ill thrift. A presumptive diagnosis of cere brospinal parasitism was made based on the presence of eosinophils in cerebrospinal fluid and historical association of this alpaca with whi te-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), the natural host of Parelapho strongylus tenuis (a nematode). The alpaca responded to anthelmintic ( fenbendazole, diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin), antibiotic (sulfadiazin e/trimethoprim, pyrimethamine), and corticosteroid (prednisone) treatm ent and returned to the farm of origin, at which time its neurologic s tatus had almost returned to normal. The alpaca remained healthy for 1 mo before developing different acute severe neurologic signs, leading to euthanasia. A fulminating, disseminated fungal and bacterial infec tion was diagnosed at necropsy, characterized by an acute multifocal n ecrotizing vasculitis and thrombosis associated with fungal hyphal ele ments that resembled Phycomycetes spp. and multiple pyogranulomatous f oci in the kidney, lung, and liver associated with Escherichia coli an d Rhodococcus sp. The disseminated phycomycosis and bacterial infectio n were attributed to a primary immunodeficiency disorder or an opportu nistic infection secondary to prolonged antibiotic treatment and corti costeroid administration.