Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in Bobwhite Quail

Abstract

Natural outbreaks of avian cerebrospinal nematodiasis have been reported in a chukar partridge (10), in pigeons (7), in an emu (16), and most recently as an extensive outbreak in commercial chickens (9). Migrating larvae of the common ascarid of raccoons, Baylisascaris procyonis, were the cause of the outbreak in commercial chickens (9) and were suggested to be the etiologic agent of encephalitis in the chukar partridge (10). This report describes an outbreak of verminous encephalitis in a flock of bobwhite quail, which resulted in a high death rate.