Sarcoptic mange in the Scandinavian wolf Canis lupus population

BMC Veterinary Research

Research Article

Johan Månsson¹  Håkan Sand¹  Olof Liberg¹  Erik O. Ågren²  Set Bornstein³  Jonas Kindberg⁴  Barbara Zimmermann⁵  Petter Wabakken⁵  Alina L. Evans⁵  Boris Fuchs⁵  Jon M. Arnemo⁶ 

[1] Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-73091, Riddarhyttan, Sweden;Department of Pathology and Wildlife Disease, National Veterinary Institute, SE-75189, Uppsala, Sweden;Department of Virology, Immunobiology and Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute, SE-75189, Uppsala, Sweden;Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183, Umeå, Sweden;Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Campus Evenstad, N-2480, Koppang, Norway;Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Campus Evenstad, N-2480, Koppang, Norway;Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183, Umeå, Sweden;

关键词: Canis lupus;    Grey wolf;    Sarcoptes scabiei;    Sarcoptic mange;    Ectoparasites;    ELISA;    Red fox;    Vulpes vulpes;    Wildlife disease;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12917-016-0780-y

 received in 2015-06-26, accepted in 2016-07-20,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSarcoptic mange, a parasitic disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is regularly reported on wolves Canis lupus in Scandinavia. We describe the distribution and transmission of this parasite within the small but recovering wolf population by analysing 269 necropsy reports and performing a serological survey on 198 serum samples collected from free-ranging wolves between 1998 and 2013.ResultsThe serological survey among 145 individual captured Scandinavian wolves (53 recaptures) shows a consistent presence of antibodies against sarcoptic mange. Seropositivity among all captured wolves was 10.1 % (CI. 6.4 %–15.1 %). Sarcoptic mange-related mortality reported at necropsy was 5.6 % and due to secondary causes, predominantly starvation. In the southern range of the population, seroprevalence was higher, consistent with higher red fox densities. Female wolves had a lower probability of being seropositive than males, but for both sexes the probability increased with pack size. Recaptured individuals changing from seropositive to seronegative suggest recovery from sarcoptic mange. The lack of seropositive pups (8–10 months, N = 56) and the occurrence of seropositive and seronegative individuals in the same pack indicates interspecific transmission of S. scabiei into this wolf population.ConclusionsWe consider sarcoptic mange to have little effect on the recovery of the Scandinavian wolf population. Heterogenic infection patterns on the pack level in combination with the importance of individual-based factors (sex, pack size) and the north–south gradient for seroprevalence suggests low probability of wolf-to-wolf transmission of S. scabiei in Scandinavia.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016