- The first reports of WNV clinical disease in camelids occurred during the 2002 epizootic, which happened to be a particularly bad year for WNV in other species as well, accounting for 284 human deaths and countless bird and horse losses. Confirmation of camelid clinical neurologic disease resulting from WNV infection was made from post-mortem testing using immunohistochemistry and reverse- transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from cases in Ohio and Iowa, respectively. more »
- An Eperythrozoon is a little bacterium that affects the red blood cells. It actually sits on the red blood cells and the immune system sees that as a problem and figures it has to take out the red blood cells and destroy them. It can lead to severe anemia or mild or moderate anemia, particularly in animals that are stressed or immune-compromised. I don't want to give the impression that this disease is killing alpacas right and left. The organism probably does not kill animals — at least by itself. We see it more often as a complicating factor in other diseases, and in that sense, it's worth figuring out more about it and how to prevent it.” more »
- Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but serious disease caused by the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, a member of the family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus. Eastern equine encephalitis is found mainly along the eastern seaboard and Gulf coast of the United States. EEE is a mosquito borne infection of wild birds that can be transmitted to other birds, humans, horses and other animals by mosquitoes. more »
- There is nothing more exhilarating than seeing a vigorous female cria up on long wobbly legs starting to explore her world. Her owner had called me about the birth and I arrived soon after to help greet her. So it was doubly heartbreaking to learn just a couple of weeks later, that the same beautiful animal suddenly sickened in front of her owner’s watchful eyes and, in spite of the best vet care possible, died within a few hours. more »
- In 2007, beginning in the summer and extending into the fall and winter, many alpacas became ill, showing symptoms of runny noses and coughing. Some were noted to have fevers and more severe respiratory symptoms. As breeders began discussing these symptoms, what appeared to be a viral “cold” type of disease became known throughout the alpaca community as “the snots.” more »