Dp. Higgins et al., NEURAL ANGIOSTRONGYLOSIS IN 3 CAPTIVE RUFOUS BETTONGS (AEPYPRYMNUS-RUFESCENS), Australian Veterinary Journal, 75(8), 1997, pp. 564-566
Neurological disease attributed to migration of the rat lungworm (Angi
ostrongylus cantonensis), is described in three captive rufous bettong
s (Aepyprymnus rufescens), Clinical signs, including ascending paralys
is and multifocal neurological deficits, were similar to those seen in
other species, Histologically, the severity of meningoencephalomyelit
is ranged from mild to moderate. In one animal cerebrospinal fluid con
tained a high percentage of eosinophils but peripheral blood cell coun
ts were within normal limits. Treatment with dexamethasone, diazepam a
nd vitamin E was unsuccessful. The prognosis for bettongs with this di
sease is poor, The susceptibility of this species to this disease has
implications for enclosure design.