CROSS-INFECTION OF MOOSE (ALCES-ALCES) AND REINDEER (RANGIFER-TARANDUS) WITH ELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-ALCES AND ELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-RANGIFERI (NEMATODA, PROTOSTRONGYLIDAE) - EFFECTS ON PARASITE MORPHOLOGY AND PREPATENT PERIOD
M. Steen et al., CROSS-INFECTION OF MOOSE (ALCES-ALCES) AND REINDEER (RANGIFER-TARANDUS) WITH ELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-ALCES AND ELAPHOSTRONGYLUS-RANGIFERI (NEMATODA, PROTOSTRONGYLIDAE) - EFFECTS ON PARASITE MORPHOLOGY AND PREPATENT PERIOD, Veterinary parasitology, 71(1), 1997, pp. 27-38
Moose (Alces alces) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) were experimental
ly cross-infected with Elaphostrongylus rangiferi and Elaphostrongylus
alces, respectively. Both Elaphostrongylus species completed their de
velopment in the alternate hosts but produced fewer larvae than in the
ir usual host species. Reindeer infected with Elaphostrongylus alces d
eveloped patent infections after 39-130 days, In moose, the prepatent
period of this parasite was 39-73 days. Elaphostrongylus rangiferi inf
ections were patent in moose after 133 days. The male morphological ch
aracteristics of E. alces in moose and reindeer, and E. rangiferi in m
oose and their migration pattern retained regardless of the host speci
es. These results provide further evidence that E. alces and E. rangif
eri are two distinct species. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.