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Clinical Picture and Antibody Response to Experimental Sarcoptes scabiei var. vulpes Infection in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Klinisk bild och antikroppssvar vid experimentell infektion av Sarcoptes scabiei var, vulpes hos rödräv (Vulpes vulpes)

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 36, pages 509–519 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

Three red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were experimentally infected with Sarcoptes scabiei isolated from a naturally infected wild red fox. A fourth red fox served as a control. The first signs of sarcoptic mange became evident on the 31st day post infection (dpi). The signs gradually increased thereafter and between dpi 49 and 77 characteristic lesions of hyperkeratosis developed. Two of the infected foxes developed severe sarcoptic mange, and one of these animals died on dpi 121. The third fox developed a chronic hyperkeratotic lesion on its back, at the site where the mites had been applied. On dpi 127 the surviving foxes were treated systemically with ivermectin, and within 4 weeks the skin lesions had healed except on the pinnae of one animal.

Antibodies to S. scabiei var. vulpes were demonstrated in the infected foxes by an ELISA with which seroconversion was seen around 4 weeks post infection (wpi). Western blot analysis of sequential sera of the infected animals demonstrated antibody activity consistently after the 2nd wpi.

The fourth, non-infected, fox did not show any skin lesions throughout the experimental period nor any specific antibodies to S. scabiei var. vulpes. kw|Keywords|k]sarcoptic mange; k]red fox; k]serodiagnosis; k]ELISA

Sammanfattning

Tre rödrävar (Vulpes vulpes) infekterades ined Sarcoptes scabiei kvalster, som isolerats från naturligt infekterade vilda rödrävar. En fj ärde rödräv hölls oinfekterad som kontroll. De första kliniska tecknen på sarcoptesskabb sågs från och med dag 31 efter infektionstillfället (dpi). Symtomen förvärrades gradvis och mellan 49–77 dpi sågs karakteristiska hyperkeratotiska förändringar på samtliga av de infekterade rävarna. Två av djuren utvecklade allvarlig skabb och en av dem dog, 121 dagar efter infektionen. Den tredje smittade räven utvecklade en kronisk hyperkeratotisk dermatit lokalt på ryggen där sarcopteskvalstema hade anbragts. En vecka efter det att den ena räven hade dött behandlades de övriga infekterade djuren systemiskt med ivcrmektin 2 gånger med 14 dagars mellanrum. Inom 4 veckor hade hudskadorna läkt utom på öronkanterna på en av rävarna. Antikroppar mot S. scabiei var. vulpes påvisades i serum från de infekterade rävarna med hjälp av en ELISA. Serokonversion sågs omkring 4 veckor efter smittotillfället. Med Western blot kunde antikroppar påvisas redan 2 veckor efter smittotillfället. Den fjärde, oinfekterade, räven visade inga hudförändnngar under observationstiden och hade heller inga specifika antikroppar mot S. scabiei var vulpes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. T. Mörner for both giving us access to the animal facilities used and together with Prof. A. Uggia, Dr. Å. Hedhammar and Dr. D. Christensson for valuable comments and to Mr. B. Ekberg for excellent photography.

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  1. Department of Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute and, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7073, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    S. Bornstein, G. Zakrisson & P. Thebo

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  1. S. Bornstein
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  2. G. Zakrisson
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  3. P. Thebo
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Bornstein, S., Zakrisson, G. & Thebo, P. Clinical Picture and Antibody Response to Experimental Sarcoptes scabiei var. vulpes Infection in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Acta Vet Scand 36, 509–519 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547665

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147