SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MULE DEER (ODOCOILEUS-HEMIONUS) AND 2 SPECIES OF NORTH-AMERICAN MOLLUSKS TO ELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-CERVI (NEMATODA, METASTRONGYLOIDEA)

An experimental study was done to determine whether Elaphostrongylus c ervi can be transmitted to common intermediate and definitive hosts in digenous to North America. First-stage larvae of E. cervi obtained fro m red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus) in New Zealand developed to the in fective third stage in snails (Triodopsis multilineata) and slugs (Der oceros reticulatum). Two mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were inoculat ed orally with 102 or 406 third-stage larvae. One animal developed a p atent infection on day 121 postinoculation (PI), and the other had num erous first-stage larvae in its lungs and colonic feces on 128 days PI when it was killed. A control red deer inoculated with 100 larvae beg an passing larvae on 119 days PI. Larval excretion was low and intermi ttent in the mule deer and during the first 4 wk of patency in the red deer. Both mule deer developed progressive neurological disease begin ning on day 104 PI and had to be killed 4 or 7 wk later, respectively. The red deer remained clinically normal.