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Sarcoptic mange is a disease that can affect a large number of domestic and wild species. This is caused by a parasitic mite called Sarcoptes scabiei, which is highly contagious to wildlife, domestic livestock and can also infect humans. It is transmitted through direct contact with animals already infected or indirectly, if the mite is found in areas used by fauna, such as drinking fountains or shelters.
The manifesto of the S. scabiei usually depends on the affected species, size, sex, physical condition and immune system. But in general, it results in severe itching (pruritus), scabs, alopecia, loss of appetite and with it weight loss, causing the animal to weaken slowly, causing its death.
The course of the disease can be divided into three phases:
- Initial phase: There is pruritus (itchy sensation) and some unobvious skin damage.
- Consolidation phase: very intense itching, the skin begins to look abnormally and with alopecia.
- Chronic phase: Alopecia in a large part of the body, crusty, hardened and cracked skin. The animal deteriorates progressively, showing extreme thinness, ending with the death of the animal.
Among the most affected species are: ungulates (sheep, domestic goat, deer, ruí, chamois, cow, mountain goat) and mammals (pig, fox, rabbit, mustelids and even the wolf). Some of the most sensitive species mentioned above are: the mountain goat (Pyrenean goat), fox (Vulpes vulpes) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Not to mention that it can infect domestic species such as dogs or cats.
Is there a treatment for sarcoptic scabies? The answer is yes. A medication called ivermectin, which is a high-spectrum antiparasitic, is used to treat scabies in domestic animals. For wild animals, difficulties increase, as mass treatments have to be carried out, which are carried out through water or food. This causes conflicts because we must calculate the dose that we will add to the food or water, taking into account that the amount ingested is sufficient for the animal to be treated correctly. It has also been tried to capture infected animals and carry out a subcutaneous injection of the drug, but a great deal of human effort must be made to capture the animal. Another treatment, but one that brings with it an intense social debate, is the selective elimination of infected animals. This method has sometimes been used to try to control scabies, but few results have been obtained due to the difficulty of identifying infected animals, as visible lesions do not always appear.
There are also preventive measures that support domestic fauna such as cattle and wildlife such as wild ruminants. It is a matter of carrying out checks on livestock farms and thus acting as far in advance as possible, to see if any livestock specimen is infected with scabies. Well, if so, it can infect livestock members themselves and also wildlife, causing great damage to livestock and wildlife.
Without a doubt, nature gives us infinite shapes and colors, a beauty that amazes even if it has been seen an incalculable number of times, behaviors that follow and will continue to impress human intelligence, but those who delve into the depths of the wild world will observe a constant struggle for survival that can be summarized in suffering, pain, diseases such as scabies, injustices, death... because no matter how beautiful it is, the wild world knows no mercy.
Bibliography
https://www.iustel.com/diario_del_derecho/noticia.asp?ref_iustel=1010373
https://digital.csic.es/handle/10261/147404
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