A review of sarcoptic mange in North American wildlife

The “itch mite” or “mange mite”, Sarcoptes scabiei, causes scabies in humans and sarcoptic mange in domestic and free-ranging animals. This mite has a wide host range due to its ability to adapt to new hosts and has been spread across the globe presumably through human expansion. While disease cause...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
Main Authors: Kevin D. Niedringhaus, Justin D. Brown, Kellyn M. Sweeley, Michael J. Yabsley
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.06.003
https://doaj.org/article/682d394fb42e4a0e8f2de2a640667fff
Description
Summary:The “itch mite” or “mange mite”, Sarcoptes scabiei, causes scabies in humans and sarcoptic mange in domestic and free-ranging animals. This mite has a wide host range due to its ability to adapt to new hosts and has been spread across the globe presumably through human expansion. While disease caused by S. scabiei has been very well-studied in humans and domestic animals, there are still numerous gaps in our understanding of this pathogen in free-ranging wildlife. The literature on sarcoptic mange in North American wildlife is particularly limited, which may be due to the relatively limited number of clinically-affected species and lack of severe population impacts seen in other continents. This review article provides a summary of the current knowledge of mange in wildlife, with a focus on the most common clinically-affected species in North America including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), gray wolves (Canis lupus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and American black bears (Ursus americanus). Keywords: Mange, Sarcoptes scabiei, Wildlife, North America