摘要：A wasting syndrome in moose (Alces alces L.) was investigated. Twenty-five animals exhibiting poor body condition and abnormal behaviour were killed, necropsied and sampled in the field. The abnormal behaviour comprised incoordination, ataxia, circling movements, apathy, lack of normal flight behaviour and recumbency. The diseased moose all exhibited a very poor condition or emaciation. Macroscopic lesions, resembling those of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)/mucosal disease, were present in the mucous membranes of all animals affected. Microscopic evidence was lacking. Marked oedema and hyperaemia was regularly found in the abomasal wall. Cerebellar abiotrophy was found in 14 animals and suspected in 6. Antibodies against BVD virus were detected in 9 of 21 examined diseased moose. Low to extremely low copper tissue levels were recorded, while molybdenum levels were high in some and low in other moose. It was concluded that starvation was the basic causative factor. The ability of plants such as birch (Betula spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.) to produce anti-herbivory compounds, contributing to a state of malnutrition, is discussed.Key words: Alces alces, abiotrophy, anti-herbivory compounds, moose, virus, trace elements, malnutrition, wasting disease.
