Olecranon Lesions Caused by Onchocerca skrjabini in Wild Japanese Serows (Capricornis crispus)

Abstract

Wild Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus) were found to have parasitic lesions in tendons that attached the musculus tricepus brachii to the olecranon. Histopathological study of the lesions showed chronic tendinitis with multiple granulation nodules around the worms. The lesions were found in 138 of the 353 serows examined and were more frequent in aged animals than young ones. Transverse ridges on the cuticle of the female midbody, the sizes and morphological features of the spicules, and the arrangement of the caudal papillae of the males showed the parasite to be Onchocerca skrjabini. Therefore, O. skrjabini causes olecranon lesions in addition to fibrous bursa formation in carpal and tarsal regions of the Japanese serows.