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Meningeal worm, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, is a nematode (roundworm) common throughout eastern and central Canada and USA. It lives in tissue spaces adjacent to the brain and spinal cord in white-tailed deer without causing serious damage. However, infection often is fatal and can be a serious risk to mule deer, moose, elk, and caribou populations.
This factsheet explains the significance of the parasite meningeal worm (P. tenuis), what it is and where it is found, its transmission cycle, its importance for wildlife management, and how to prevent and control its spread.