Damage wrought by wayward worms

Damage wrought by wayward worms


When a tiny parasite takes a wrong turn, big problems can ensue.

A case in point is the meningeal [men-IN-gee-ul] worm whose usual host is the white-tailed deer. Amazingly, worms settle in around a deer’s brain or spinal cord, and the deer seems none the worse for wear. It goes about its business, passing worm eggs into the environment.

That’s when the trouble begins. When meningeal worms end up in a different host — like a goat, sheep, llama or alpaca—they cause severe inflammation and tissue destruction. Results of spinal cord damage include weakness, incoordination and a stiff gait. When the brain is affected, animals become blind, develop behavioral changes and have seizures.

It’s tough to deer-proof pastures. That’s why farmers need to be on the lookout for abnormal signs so the infection can be treated as early as possible.

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