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. 1995 Dec 1;36(4):509–519. doi: 10.1186/BF03547665

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)

S Bornstein 1,✉, G Zakrisson 1, P Thebo 1
PMCID: PMC8095404  PMID: 8669378

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

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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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