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Title: A SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA-LIKE ORGANISM ASSOCIATED WITH ENCEPHALITIS IN A STRIPED SKUNK (MEPHITIS MEPHITIS)

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item HAMIR, A - U PA, SCH VET MED
item NIEZGODA, M - CTR DIS CONTROL & PREVENT
item RUPPRECHT, C - CTR DIS CONTROL & PREVENT

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic disease of horses in North America and is often fatal. The causative agent was recently grown in cell culture and named Sarcocystis neurona. Its life cycle and sources of infection are unknown. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the University of Pennsylvania report for the first time EPM-like disease in a skunk. This information will be useful to wildlife biologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: A Sarcocystis neurona-like organism was associated with granulomatous encephalitis in an ataxic male juvenile striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Various stages of schizonts and merozoites of S. neurona were seen within some of the granulomata.