title: An outbreak of tick paralysis in free-ranging mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon).
abstract: During November 2006, two live and one dead mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon) were presented with a history of weakness, tremors, and paralysis. After a detailed gross and histologic examination and a bacteriologic, parasitologic, and rabies evaluation, a preliminary diagnosis of tick paralysis was established. A thorough field search revealed 13 affected mouflons found in the open hunting ground "Sveti Juraj" near the town of Senj (Croatia), along with an additional 35 mouflon carcasses. All 13 mouflons were placed in a quiet, semidark stable. All detectable ticks were removed manually, and the animals were topically treated with 250 ppm of Amitraz water emulsion (Taktic 12.5% EC, Intervet International, 5830 Boxmeer, Netherlands). The collected ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, and Haemaphysalis punctata. In the following 24 hr, all treated animals recovered fully. This report describes a naturally occurring outbreak of tick paralysis in free-ranging mouflons from a karst habitat.
authors.affiliation: Department for Game Biology, Pathology, and Breeding, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia. dean.konjevic@vef.hr
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konjević
authors.forename: Zdravko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Janicki
authors.forename: Kresimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Severin
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanko
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zivicnjak
authors.forename: Alen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slavica
authors.forename: Vilim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Staresina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007306:Insecticides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D013985:Tick Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014052:Toluidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014052:Toluidines; C014983:amitraz