Wednesday, December 14, 2011
What parasite causes mange?
the mite of sarcoptic mange, an intensely pruritic, transmissible skin disease, is a frequent parasite of dogs, and to a lesser degree, cats and humans in Singapore (S. scabiei var. cuniculi, the rabbit scabies mite, is also endemic here). The mites prefer lightly haired regions, and are most common on the elbows, hocks, ears, chest and abdomen. The disease spreads rapidly, and the entire body may be colonised by mites. The female mite tunnels through the skin, depositing eggs as she goes. Once these ova hatch, the larvae burrow to the surface where they browse and feed. The larval stage then rests in a "moulting pocket" and develops to the nymph stage. These also graze the skin surface before returning to moult to the adult stage. The life-cycle is completed in approx. 3 weeks. Transmission occurs mostly through direct contact with an infected animal
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