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Although mortality caused by Sarcoptes scabiei has been reported in European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis), there is a lack of detailed information regarding the exposure of wild lagomorph species to this parasite. Here, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence and potential risk factors associated with S. scabiei exposure in European wild rabbits and Iberian hares in Mediterranean ecosystems of southern Spain. Between 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 hunting seasons, serum samples from 464 wild rabbits and 132 Iberian hares were collected from 100 hunting grounds in Andalusia (southern Spain). Sera were tested using an in-house indirect ELISA to detect specific anti-S. scabiei antibodies based on the immunodominant protein Ssλ20ΔB3. The overall apparent individual seroprevalence was 15.9% (95/596; 95%CI: 13.0-18.9). Antibodies against S. scabiei were detected in 11.6% (54/464; 95%CI: 8.7-14.5) of the European wild rabbits and 31.1% (41/132; 95%CI: 23.2-39.0) of the Iberian hares. Species (Iberian hare), age (adults) and geographical area (western Andalusia) were identified as risk factors potentially associated with S. scabiei exposure using generalized estimating equation analysis. By applying spatial analysis, two significant cluster of high seropositivity were detected in western and central Andalusia, respectively. The seroprevalence values obtained provide evidence of endemic, widespread and heterogeneous exposure to S. scabiei among wild lagomorph populations in Spanish Mediterranean ecosystems. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing integrated surveillance programs for sarcoptic mange in wild lagomorphs as well as in other sympatric species., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors of this study has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Sarcoptic mange caused by Sarcoptes scabiei can have catastrophic consequences for wildlife. We inspected 122 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus), collected by active (n=66) or passive (n=56) surveillance, and 28 South American gray foxes (Lycalopex griseus; all from passive surveillance) for mange in Chile (2015-19). In Andean foxes, gross lesions of mange were diagnosed in 24% of passively and 9% of actively collected foxes, although observed prevalences might be underestimated. Seroprevalence was 37 and 18%, respectively, indicating that some individuals recovered from infection or were developing the disease. No differences were found between age and sex groups. Comparing data from passive surveillance, occurrence of gross lesions was lower in gray foxes (5%). Body condition was significantly better in Andean foxes without lesions than in diseased foxes, which had significantly lower albumin concentrations than healthy individuals. Among the 12 foxes with gross lesions, four, six and two individuals were categorized as having type I, type II, and type III lesions, respectively, based on clinical severity. Histologic severity correlated with gross lesions and included irregular epidermal hyperplasia with hyperkeratosis, which was marked in type II and III infections. Conventional PCR targeting of the cox1 gene fragment revealed four nucleotide sequence types, showing 99-100% identity among them and between 99% and 100% identity with previously published sequences of S. scabiei. A significant association between the occurrence of mange in foxes and distance to the nearest house was found. We speculate that diseased foxes tended to approach human settlements, perhaps in search of food. Visual inspection of 211 rural dogs from the study area did not reveal gross mange lesions in any animal. Sarcoptic mange is enzootic in the Andean fox in the study area and should be considered in the management of the species., (© Wildlife Disease Association 2024.)

Tuberculosis BCG vaccination induced non-specific protective effects in humans led to postulate the concept of trained immunity (TRAIM) as an innate type of immune mechanism that triggered by a pathogen, protects against others. Killed vaccines have been considered not to be effective. However, field efficacy of a commercial vaccine against paratuberculosis, as well as of a recently developed M. bovis heat-inactivated vaccine (HIMB) prompted to test whether it could also induce TRAIM. To this, we used a sarcoptic mange rabbit model. Twenty-four weaned rabbits were treated orally or subcutaneously with a suspension of either HIMB (10 7 UFC) or placebo. Eighty-four days later the animals were challenged with approximately 5000 S. scabiei mites on the left hind limb. Skin lesion extension was measured every 2 weeks until 92 days post-infection (dpi). Two animals were killed at 77 dpi because of extensive skin damage. The rest were euthanized and necropsied and the lesion area and the mite burden per squared cm were estimated. Specific humoral immune responses to S. scabiei and to M. bovis were investigated with the corresponding specific ELISA tests. Subcutaneously and orally HIMB vaccinated animals compared with placebo showed reduced lesion scores (up to 74% and 62%, respectively) and mite counts (-170% and 39%, respectively). This, together with a significant positive correlation (r = 0.6276, p = 0.0031) between tuberculosis-specific antibodies and mite count at 92 dpi supported the hypothesis of non-specific effects of killed mycobacterial vaccination. Further research is needed to better understand this mechanism to maximize cross protection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Sarcoptic mange is a contagious skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, affecting different mammalian species worldwide including the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), in which mortalities over 90 % of the population have been reported. No efficient diagnostic methods are available for this disease, particularly when there are low mite numbers and mild or no clinical signs. In this study, three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) developed for dog (ELISA A), Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) (ELISA B) and Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) (ELISA C), were evaluated to detect specific antibodies (IgG) to sarcoptic mange in Iberian ibex sera., Methods: Serum samples from 131 Iberian ibexes (86 healthy and 45 scabietic) were collected from 2005 to 2012 in the Sierra Nevada Natural and National Parks (southern Spain). Based on visual inspection, ibexes were classified into one of three categories, namely healthy (without scabietic compatible lesions), mildly affected (skin lesions over less than 50 % of the body surface) and severely affected (skin lesions over more than 50 % of the body surface). The optimal cut-off point, specificity, sensitivity and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated, and the agreement between tests was determined. Moreover, differences in the optical density (OD) related to scabies severity have been evaluated for the best test., Results: ELISA C showed better performance than the two other tests, reaching higher values of sensitivity (93.0 %) and specificity (93.5 %) against the visual estimation of the percentage of affected skin, chosen as the gold standard. Significantly higher concentrations of specific antibodies were observed with this test in the mildly and severely infested ibexes than in healthy ones., Conclusions: Our results revealed that ELISA C was an optimal test to diagnose sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex. Further studies characterizing immune response during the course of the disease, including spontaneous or drug induced recovery, should follow in order to better understand sarcoptic mange in Iberian ibex populations.

Background: Vaccination is an attractive ecological alternative to the use of acaricides for parasite control. However, effective anti-parasite vaccines against sarcoptic mange have not yet been developed. The purpose of this study was first to identify Sarcoptes scabiei immunodominant antigens and second to evaluate them as vaccine candidates in a rabbit/S. scabiei var. cuniculi model., Methods: The S. scabiei Ssλ15 immunodominant antigen was selected by immunoscreening of a S. scabiei var. hominis cDNA. The full-length cDNA was sequenced and cloned into the pGEX vector and the recombinant protein expressed in BL21 (DE3) cells and purified. A vaccination trial was performed consisting of a test group (n = 8) immunised with recAgs (a mix of two recombinant antigens, Ssλ15 and the previously described Ssλ20∆B3) and a control group (n = 8) immunised with PBS. All analyses were performed with R Statistical Environment with α set at 0.050., Results: The full-length open reading frame of the 1,821 nt cloned cDNA encodes a 64 kDa polypeptide, the sequence of which had 96 % identity with a hypothetical protein of S. scabiei. Ssλ15 was localised by immunostaining of skin sections in the tegument surrounding the mouthparts and the coxa in the legs of mites. Rabbit immunisation with recAgs induced high levels of specific IgG (P < 0.010) and increased levels of total IgEs. However, no significant clinical protection against S. scabiei challenge was detected. Unexpectedly, the group immunised with the recAgs mix had significantly higher lesion scores (P = 0.050) although lower mean mite densities than those observed in the control group. These results might indicate that the lesions in the recAgs group were due not only to the mites density but also to an exacerbated immunological response after challenge, which is in agreement with the specific high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNFα) detected after challenge in this group., Conclusions: The selected antigens delivered as recombinant proteins had no clinical protective efficacy against S. scabiei infestation although immunisation reduced mite density. However, these results pave the way for future studies on alternative production systems, adjuvants, delivery methods and combinations of antigens in order to manage stimulation of clinical protective immune responses.

An ELISA, based on the Sarcoptes scabiei Ssλ20ΔB3 inmunodominant antigen, was evaluated for the detection of antibodies to S. scabiei in experimentally infested (n=10), farm (n=109), and wild (n=78) rabbit sera. The S. scabiei antigen Ssλ20ΔB3, a major structural protein present over the entire mite's body, was produced as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli and purified for its use in the ELISA. The resulting ELISA showed, in experimentally infested domestic rabbits, detectable specific antibody responses (IgG) above the cut off level from week three post-infestation indicating that the assay is able to detect positive rabbits very early during the course of the infestation. The ELISA was validated on a panel of 109 domestic breeding rabbit sera collected from 26 Spanish farms, of which 41 were obtained from rabbits with skin lesions compatible with sarcoptic mange, 26 with skin lesions compatible with psoroptic mange, and 42 from unexposed individuals from mange-free farms. The ELISA in this group was characterized by 95% sensitivity, 97% specificity, and a high degree of repeatability. In the psoroptic mange compatible lesions group, included in the study as control group for cross-reactivity with the closely related mite Psoroptes cuniculi, cross-reacting antibodies to Ssλ20ΔB3 S. scabiei antigen were detected in 42.30% of the rabbit sera. However, mean% OD values of the sarcoptic-mange group (55.61 ± 39.20%) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than OD values of the psoroptic-mange (3.64% ± 5.4%) and also of the free-mange (0.21% ± 0.67%) groups. In addition, the ELISA was also evaluated in serum samples obtained from both naturally infested and non-infested wild rabbits from Mallorca Island. The sensitivity of the assay for this group was 100% (4 out of the 4 rabbits with sarcoptic mange compatible lesions and presence of S. scabiei mites were seropositive) and the specificity was 90% (67 out of 74 wild rabbits without detectable mange lesions were seronegative). Although, the total number of tested samples from experimentally infested, farm and wild rabbits was limited, our study showed that the ELISA is able to differentiate between infested and non-infested animals in all tested groups with very high sensitivity and specificity indicating that recombinant Ssλ20ΔB3 is a reliable diagnostic antigen. This assay might be a cost-effective tool for detecting the presence of mangy animals and therefore helping prevent spread of mange among domestic rabbits, reducing potential transmission from female breeding rabbits to other farms, and detecting infestation with sarcoptic mange in the wild., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

With the aim of improving our understanding of their epidemiological features, exposure to or presence of Canine Parvovirus (CPV), Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), Leishmania infantum and Sarcoptes scabiei were studied in 88 wild wolves from Asturias (Northern Spain) by means of long-term (2004-2010) serological and molecular data. Individual and population factors and the possible interactions between them were also statistically analyzed for better understanding the contact/presence of studied pathogens. The overall seroprevalence values were 19%, 61%, 20% and 0% for CDV, CPV, S. scabiei and Leishmania, respectively, while a 46% of studied wolves showed Leishmania genetic material presence. Sarcoptic mange, CDV and CPV showed higher seroprevalence values in the areas with higher wolf densities, and a positive association between CDV and S. scabiei antibody responses was detected. Reported data highlight the need of considering concomitant pathogens and their possible interactions for a better understanding of diseases and their management in wildlife., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Studies of sarcoptic mange and immunity are hampered by lack of mite sources and natural infestation models. We have investigated the clinical and pathological signs, specific IgG response and acquired immunity in naïve New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) experimentally infested with Sarcoptes scabiei originally isolated from a clinically affected free-living European wild rabbit. Twenty rabbits were infested using two methods, direct contact for a 24 h period with a seeder rabbit simulating the natural process of infestation and application of a dressing holding approximately 1800 live mites on each hind limb (foot area) for a 24h period. Eight weeks post infestation, rabbits were treated with ivermectin and infestation cleared. Eight weeks later seventeen previously infested and four uninfested naïve controls were then re-exposed to the same S. scabiei variety using the same methods and followed for another 8 weeks. The progress of the disease was markedly more virulent in the animals infested by contact, indicating that the effective dose of mites managing to thrive and infest each rabbit by this method was higher. Nevertheless, infestation by contact resulted in partial protection to reexposure, rabbits developed high non-protective antibody titres upon reinfestation and presented severe clinical signs. However, rabbits reinfested by dressing developed lower IgG titres, and presented high levels of resistance to reinfestation, which might be due to induction of a strong local cellular response in the inoculation point that killed the mites and resulted in a lower mite effective dose, with subsequent reduced lesion development. Statistical analysis showed that sex, method of infestation and previous exposure are key factors determining the ability of rabbits to develop immunity to this disease. The rabbit-mange model developed will allow the further study of immunity and resistance to this neglected pathogen using a natural host system., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: During the last decades, attempts have been made to understand the molecular epidemiology of Sarcoptes scabiei, and to detect and clarify the differences between isolates from different hosts and geographic regions. Two main phenomena have been described: (i) host-taxon derived-Sarcoptes mite infection in European wild animals (revealing the presence of three separate clusters, namely herbivore-, carnivore- and omnivore-derived Sarcoptes populations in Europe) and (ii) prey-to-predator Sarcoptes mite infection in the Masai Mara ecosystem., Results: Using one multiplex of 9 microsatellite markers and Sarcoptes mite samples from sympatric Pyrenean chamois, red deer, red fox and Iberian wolf, different population structure analyses revealed concordance with the host-taxon law described for wild animals in Europe, with two main host-derived Sarcoptes mite populations, herbivore- and carnivore-derived. Surprisingly, Iberian wolf derived Sarcoptes populations had the highest genetic diversity among the other populations, including two different subpopulations: one similar to the herbivore-derived Sarcoptes populations, and another similar to carnivore (fox)-derived Sarcoptes mite population., Conclusions: The host-taxon effect in wild animals is still supported with the maintenance of carnivore- and herbivore-derived Sarcoptes clusters' separation in analyzed mites. However, this phenomenon could be modified with the inclusion of a large predator as wolf in the present work, revealing prey-to-predator Sarcoptes mite infection between the studied host-taxa and suggesting the importance of wolf's immune system for explaining the high variability reported in C. lupus derived mites. Further studies of host diet, behavior and movement, and regarding the role played by its immune system, would be of great help to clarify interactions between the two hypotheses, host-taxon and prey-to-predator., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Scabies was recently reported for the first time in the European wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae). We experimentally exposed 10 seronegative wild-caught rabbits to skin from a mangy wild rabbit. Serological, physiological, parasitological and histopathological changes were recorded. Three rabbits developed antibodies at 2-5 weeks post-infection (w.p.i.), two of which then developed lesions at 7 w.p.i. One of these had a small area of alopecia on the hind limb that healed naturally within 1 week; the other developed more extensive lesions restricted to the hind limbs (as typically observed in wild rabbits) that lasted until the rabbit died (12.5 w.p.i.). The third rabbit died of trauma 5 w.p.i. before developing any lesions. Antibodies in the healed rabbit disappeared from serum at 8 w.p.i., whereas antibody levels in the sick rabbit increased until its death. Disseminated intravascular coagulation and hepatic necrosis, probably arising from a concomitant infection with rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, were the likely final cause of death in this rabbit. The mangy rabbit that served as a donor died of a multifocal fibrinosuppurative pneumonia that may have been secondary to the skin bacterial pyoderma., (© 2012 The Authors. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.)

The prevalence and body distribution of Sarcoptes scabiei and associated dermatitis was investigated in sows and boars from four herds with long standing mange. Macroscopic hyperkeratotic dermatitis (crusted mange) was present in 1-6% of herd sows. Mite estimated prevalence (95% CI) in ear scrapings was 11% (6-17%) including 100% (13/13) and 2% (3/134) in sows with and without crusted mange, respectively, and the later had very few mites compared to the former. S. scabiei body distribution and dermatitis were further investigated in 59-64 skin scrapings/sow taken post-mortem from four culled sows including two (sows 1 and 2) with and two (sows 3 and 4) without crusted mange. The proportion of skin samples with eggs, instars or adults was 59% in sow 1, 84% in sow 2, 0% in sow 3 and 3% in sow 4. S. scabiei distribution in sows 1 and 2 ranged from being present in all skin ear and head samples to absent in those from the inner side of the limbs and mammary glands. Crusted lesions were observed in the skin of the ears, neck and lower limbs and contained the largest mite populations. Histopathological analysis of skin samples identified mites, inflammatory cellular infiltrate (mainly lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils) and hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and spongiosis in 78%, 54%, 20% and 25% of samples from sows 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, being lesion severity positively associated to mite presence. The study provides further evidence that in herds with long-standing exposure to S. scabiei, infection becomes highly overdispersed with large mite populations present only in a few pigs and in specific body areas. Although the reasons for mite aggregation have not been identified, it is important controlwise because treating or eliminating a few and easy to identify heavily infected adult pigs, should markedly decrease the herd's parasite load and reduce the use of acaridal drugs., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sarcoptic mange, a parasitic skin infection caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei, has been reported in over 100 mammals, including humans. In endangered species, mange causes conservation concerns because it may decimate isolated populations and contribute to extinction. The Iberian Peninsula still maintains one of the largest wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Europe. In Iberia, sarcoptic mange is endemic in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and the first confirmed wolf mange cases were recently reported. However, knowledge on S. scabiei in wolves is scarce because of the sampling difficulties inherent to research on scarce species. In order to describe wolf mange epidemiology and to infer conservation implications, this study combined traditional laboratory techniques with the revision of wolf carcass pictures taken by field biologists and original information obtained by camera trapping. A total of 125 necropsies and 8783 camera-trap days allowed insights into wolf mange epidemiology between 2003 and 2010. Living Sarcoptes mites were detected in 19% of the fresh carcasses. Alopecic (delayed) type IV hypersensitive response reactions were observed, while parakeratotic lesions were infrequent. The number of mites isolated per wolf ranged from 1 to 78, and had a negative correlation with the percentage of alopecic skin. No effect by sex on mange prevalence was found. Yearlings showed a lower probability to present mange-compatible lesions than pups or adults. Wolves with mange-compatible lesions had a lower kidney fat index than apparently healthy ones. ELISA testing of 88 sera yielded an antibody prevalence of 20%. Photo-trapping recorded mange-compatible lesions since 2003 with a peak in 2008. The percentage of wolves with mange-compatible lesions registered in camera-traps during 1 year correlated with the percentage of red foxes with lesions in the previous year. This is the first large survey on sarcoptic mange in the Iberian wolf. Necropsy data, with alopecia as the main feature and a slight effect on body condition, and trends derived from camera trapping coincided in showing a rather low prevalence and an apparently stable situation of the disease and its host, suggesting that this parasite is currently not a major threat for this wolf population. However, more information is needed in order to assess the effect of mange on aspects such as pup survival., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Implicitly, parasite molecular studies assume temporal genetic stability. In this study we tested, for the first time to our knowledge, the extent of changes in genetic diversity and structure of Sarcoptes mite populations from Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) in Asturias (Spain), using one multiplex of 9 microsatellite markers and Sarcoptes samples from sympatric Pyrenean chamois, red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes)., Results: The analysis of an 11-years interval period found little change in the genetic diversity (allelic diversity, and observed and expected heterozygosity). The temporal stability in the genetic diversity was confirmed by population structure analysis, which was not significantly variable over time. Population structure analysis revealed temporal stability in the genetic diversity of Sarcoptes mite under the host-taxon law (herbivore derived- and carnivore derived-Sarcoptes mite) among the sympatric wild animals from Asturias., Conclusions: The confirmation of parasite temporal genetic stability is of vital interest to allow generalizations to be made, which have further implications regarding the genetic structure, epidemiology and monitoring protocols of the ubiquitous Sarcoptes mite. This could eventually be applied to other parasite species., (© 2011 Alasaad et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.)

Concern about emerging diseases has risen in recent years, and multihost situations have become increasingly relevant for wildlife management and conservation. We present data on Asturias, northern Spain, where 80 mangy red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been found since the beginning of the epizootic in chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) in 1993. We combine field and necropsy data with the results of a serosurvey using an in-house ELISA test to evaluate if deer mange due to Sarcoptes scabiei is an emerging disease in this area. The mean number of deer mange cases per year was 5, with a maximum of 16. No significant relationship was detected between monthly temperatures, rainfall or number of days with snow cover and the annual number of sarcoptic mange cases in red deer. Only 4 mangy red deer (5%) were detected outside the limits of scabietic chamois distribution during the same year, and all were less than 2500 m away from that limit. The longest distance reported between two consecutive mangy deer locations was 18 km. Mange cases were significantly more frequent in stags than in hinds and in adults than in juvenile deer. The time of the first mange detection in chamois in each sector, year with minimum number of chamois recorded, year with maximum chamois population decline rate and chamois density offered no significant correlation with red deer mange cases appearance moment and frequency. In the mange affected area, ELISA testing of 327 blood samples from hunter-harvested deer without obvious mange-compatible lesions revealed only 4 seropositive animals. All 83 sera from hunting preserves without clinical cases yielded negative ELISA results. According to these epidemiological data mange does not seem to threaten red deer populations in Asturias. However, continued monitoring of deer health and ELISA testing for sarcoptic mange is advisable.

The mite Sarcoptes scabiei causes sarcoptic mange (or scabies), a disease of considerable human and veterinary significance. An S. scabiei cDNA clone of about 2 kb was isolated from a S. scabiei var. hominis expression library by immunological screening using blood serum from a naturally infected chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). The nucleotide sequence of the identified cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1930 bp that encodes a 642 amino acid polypeptide. This polypeptide shows tandem repeats of a glycine-serine rich 20 residue sequence followed by a unique C-terminal glutamate rich 54 residue sequence. The cDNA or the deduced polypeptide did not show significant similarities to any of the sequences in the databases. A carboxyl-terminal fragment of this polypeptide (residues 380 to 642) was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion with Glutathione S-transferase and then was used to produce a specific antiserum. The antigen encoded by the cDNA was located at the integument of the mite's epidermis and the cavities surrounding its vital organs. Western blot analysis of mite extracts using the specific antiserum against the recombinant protein identified antigens larger that 60 kDa indicating that the isolated cDNA did not contain the full ORF. Moreover, we designed a diagnostic assay based on the carboxyl-terminal fragment of the antigen for the identification of infected animals.