Feline sarcoptic mange in Poland: A case series of three cats

BACKGROUND

Sarcoptic mange is rare in cats. The main symptoms reported in cases of feline sarcoptic mange include crusty lesions and pruritus, although these may vary in severity among individuals.

OBJECTIVES

This report describes three cats infested with Sarcoptes scabiei, all presenting with pruritus and excoriation.

METHODS

The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic observation of skin scrape samples.

RESULTS

All three cats were treated successfully using moxidectin and imidacloprid, selamectin and ivermectin, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical presentation of feline scabies appears to be more variable in cats than in dogs. Infestation with S. scabiei should be considered a differential diagnosis for cats presenting with pruritic inflammatory skin disease.

Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) expert recommendations for the management of sexual transmitted parasitosis. Scabies, and pediculosis pubis

Sexually transmitted infections are communicable diseases where the pathogen is transmitted through sexual contact. The Sexually Transmitted Infections Working Group of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) is engaged in the drafting of documents to guide dermatologists and health care personnel who treat Spanish patients with these infections. This document analyzes the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and control characteristics of 2 sexually transmitted parasitosis: scabies due to Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, and pubic pediculosis due to Phthirus pubis. Both parasitoses share a sort of mixed spread through sexual and community transmission regardless of the route through which the infection was initially acquired. This specific feature creates particularities in the management and control of the infestation.

[Translated article] Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) expert recommendations for the management of sexual transmitted parasitosis. Scabies, and pediculosis pubis

Sexually transmitted infections are communicable diseases where the pathogen is transmitted through sexual contact. The Sexually Transmitted Infections Working Group of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) is engaged in the drafting of documents to guide dermatologists and health care personnel who treat Spanish patients with these infections. This document analyzes the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and control characteristics of 2 sexually transmitted parasitosis: scabies due to Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, and pubic pediculosis due to Phthirus pubis. Both parasitoses share a sort of mixed spread through sexual and community transmission regardless of the route through which the infection was initially acquired. This specific feature creates particularities in the management and control of the infestation.

Zoonotic Episodes of Scabies: A Global Overview

Zoonotic scabies (ZS), also referred to as "pseudoscabies", is considered a self-limiting disease with a short incubation period and transient clinical skin signs. It is commonly thought that Sarcoptes scabiei mites from animals are unable to successfully reproduce and persist on human skin; however, several ZS case reports have mentioned the persistence of symptoms and occasionally mites for weeks. The aim of this review was to collect and organize the sparse literature explicitly referring to S. scabiei zoonotic transmission, focusing on the source of the outbreak, the circumstances leading to the transmission of the parasite, the diagnosis including the identification of the Sarcoptes "strain" involved, and the applied treatments. A total of 46 articles, one conference abstract and a book were collected describing ZS cases associated with twenty animal hosts in five continents. Dogs were by far the most common source among pet owners, while diverse livestock and wildlife contributed to the caseload as an occupational disease. Genetic epidemiological studies of ZS outbreaks are still limited in number, but tools are available to fill this knowledge gap in the near future. Further research is also needed to understand the apparent heterogeneity in the morbidity, disease severity and timing of the response to treatment among people infected with different animal-derived strains.

Canine and Feline Parasitology: Analogies, Differences, and Relevance for Human Health

Cats and dogs are treated as family members by most pet owners. Therefore, a high quality of veterinary care and preventive medicine is imperative for animal health and welfare and for the protection of humans from zoonotic pathogens. There is a general perception of cats being treated as "small dogs," especially in the field of clinical parasitology. As a result, several important differences between the two animal species are not taken into proper consideration and are often overlooked. Dogs and cats are profoundly different under evolutionary, biological, ethological, behavioral, and immunological standpoints. These differences impact clinical features, diagnosis, and control of canine and feline parasites and transmission risk for humans. This review outlines the most common parasitoses and vector-borne diseases of dogs and cats, with a focus on major convergences and divergences, and discusses parasites that have (i) evolved based on different preys for dogs and cats, (ii) adapted due to different immunological or behavioral animal profiles, and (iii) developed more similarities than differences in canine and feline infections and associated diseases. Differences, similarities, and peculiarities of canine and feline parasitology are herein reviewed in three macrosections: (i) carnivorism, vegetarianism, anatomy, genetics, and parasites, (ii) evolutionary adaptation of nematodes, including veterinary reconsideration and zoonotic importance, and (iii) behavior and immune system driving ectoparasites and transmitted diseases. Emphasis is given to provide further steps toward a more accurate evaluation of canine and feline parasitology in a changing world in terms of public health relevance and One Health approach.

Sarcoptes Infestation. What Is Already Known, and What Is New about Scabies at the Beginning of the Third Decade of the 21st Century?

Currently, there are three known subtypes of scabies: ordinary, crusted, and bullous. The worldwide prevalence of scabies remains high in the 21st century. To decrease the social, economic, and psychological impact on the enormous population infected, a lot of important work has been completed over the last 20 years concerning the management of scabies. For example, a standardization of guidelines for the treatment of scabies has been completed and programs have been designed for the prevention and treatment in endemic populations, called mass drug administrations. Unfortunately, these only apply to the ordinary form of scabies. Moreover, resistance to the drugs currently used in treatment is growing, which imposes the need to search for new treatments. For this purpose, new acaricides are being developed to enhance the therapeutic options for the patients' benefit and effectively treat this disease. There is also the necessity for prevention before the development of scabies. An effective vaccine has the potential to protect people before this disease, especially in endemic areas. Unfortunately, there are no such vaccines against Sarcoptes yet.

Entodermoscopy Update: A Contemporary Review on Dermoscopy of Cutaneous Infections and Infestations

Infectious cutaneous diseases are very common, especially in certain geographic and tropical regions. Sometimes they may simulate other dermatoses, ordering verification of diagnosis with particular investigations. Dermoscopy is among one of the most important tools readily available in the outpatient setting for the dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis. In this up-to date review, literature concerning the various dermoscopic features of parasitic, viral, dermatophytic and bacterial cutaneous infections is composed. In addition artefacts as well as practical issues in dermoscopy usage are discussed; with the aim to empower dermatologists to promptly and non-invasively diagnose and manage cutaneous infections and infestations.

European guideline for the management of scabies

Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. The disease can be sexually transmitted. Patients' main complaint is nocturnal itch. Disseminated, excoriated, erythematous papules are usually seen on the anterior trunk and limbs. Crusted scabies occurs in immunocompromised hosts and may be associated with reduced or absent pruritus. Recommended treatments are permethrin 5% cream, oral ivermectin and benzyl benzoate 25% lotion. Alternative treatments are malathion 0.5% aqueous lotion, ivermectin 1% lotion and sulphur 6-33% cream, ointment or lotion. Crusted scabies therapy requires a topical scabicide and oral ivermectin. Mass treatment of large populations with endemic disease can be performed with a single dose of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg of bodyweight). Partner management needs a look-back period of 2 months. Screening for other STI is recommended. Patients and close contacts should avoid sexual contact until completion of treatment and should strictly observe personal hygiene rules when living in crowded spaces. Written information should be provided to suspected cases.

Are humans the initial source of canine mange?

Background

Scabies, or mange as it is called in animals, is an ectoparasitic contagious infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Sarcoptic mange is an important veterinary disease leading to significant morbidity and mortality in wild and domestic animals. A widely accepted hypothesis, though never substantiated by factual data, suggests that humans were the initial source of the animal contamination. In this study we performed phylogenetic analyses of populations of S. scabiei from humans and from canids to validate or not the hypothesis of a human origin of the mites infecting domestic dogs.

Methods

Mites from dogs and foxes were obtained from three French sites and from other countries. A part of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified and directly sequenced. Other sequences corresponding to mites from humans, raccoon dogs, foxes, jackal and dogs from various geographical areas were retrieved from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using the Otodectes cynotis cox1 sequence as outgroup. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analysis approaches were used. To visualize the relationship between the haplotypes, a median joining haplotype network was constructed using Network v4.6 according to host.

Results

Twenty-one haplotypes were observed among mites collected from five different host species, including humans and canids from nine geographical areas. The phylogenetic trees based on Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses showed similar topologies with few differences in node support values. The results were not consistent with a human origin of S. scabiei mites in dogs and, on the contrary, did not exclude the opposite hypothesis of a host switch from dogs to humans.

Conclusions

Phylogenetic relatedness may have an impact in terms of epidemiological control strategy. Our results and other recent studies suggest to re-evaluate the level of transmission between domestic dogs and humans.

Prevalence of Sarcoptes scabiei infection in pet dogs in southern China

Little is known about the prevalence of Sarcoptes scabiei infection in pet dogs in China. In the present study, the prevalence of S. scabiei infection in pet dogs in Guangzhou, southern China, was investigated between January and December, 2009. A total of 3,977 pet dogs admitted to animal hospitals were examined for the presence of S. scabiei using a parasitological approach. The average prevalence of S. scabiei infection in pet dogs is 1.18% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85–1.52%). The prevalence of S. scabiei was higher in winter (1.42%; 95% CI: 0.29–2.55%), summer (1.39%; 95% CI: 0.83–1.96%), and autumn (1.1%; 95% CI: 0.53–1.68%) than in spring (0.63%; 95% CI: 0.02–1.25%). Furthermore, the prevalence of S. scabiei was the highest in Pekingese (21.88%; 95% CI: 7.55–36.2%), followed by Papillon (5.26%; 95% CI: 0–11.06%) and Bichon Frise (3.19%; 95% CI: 0–6.75%). The results of the present investigation indicate that S. scabiei infection is prevalent in pet dogs in Guangzhou, China, which provides relevant “baseline” data for conducting control strategies and measures against scabies in this region and elsewhere in China. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report of S. scabiei prevalence in pet dogs in China.

Survey of zoonotic dermatoses in client-owned exotic pet mammals in southern Italy

Several 'exotic' mammalian species (e.g. rabbits, rodents, ferrets and hedgehogs) live in close proximity to humans as companion pets. Skin diseases (SD) are frequent causes of morbidity in exotic pet mammals, and most of those SDs have a zoonotic potential. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequencies and types of zoonotic dermatosis (ZD) in client-owned, exotic pet mammals in Southern Italy. Six-hundred and fifty-five medical records of exotic pet mammals examined between 2011 and 2012, across twenty private practice veterinary clinics around the Naples area (Italy), were retrospectively evaluated and screened for animals diagnosed with SDs (rabbits n = 455, guinea pigs n = 93, ferrets n = 64, hedgehogs n = 19, chinchillas n = 13 and rats n = 11). The records of animals diagnosed with SD, whose causative agents had a zoonotic potential, were selected for analysis. The Mann-Whitney independent test was used for statistical analysis. A P value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Eighty-two records (12.5%) of animals with ZD were identified. Of those, 56.1% (46/82) were affected by fungal infections and 42.7% (35/82) by parasitic infections. No zoonotic bacterial or viral infections were diagnosed. Dermatophytosis was significantly diagnosed more frequently in younger animals. The results of this survey indicate that exotic pet mammals may serve as active carriers for many highly contagious pathogens with zoonotic potential. Awareness and vigilance by the veterinary practitioner is crucial in the prevention of occurrences of ZDs. Children frequently come in close contact with exotic pets. To prevent the unplanned transmission of pathogen from pet to human, an active routine screening examination and preventative treatments are strongly recommended for every newly purchased pet mammal.

The neglected navigating web of the incomprehensibly emerging and re-emerging Sarcoptes mite

Parasite presence in any ecosystem generates complex navigating webs (Parasite-NW) within the system, through which parasites move from one to another host. The appropriate assimilation of parasite navigating web is pivotal for a better understanding of pathogen flow in the ecosystem, with implications for disease control. Sarcoptes mite has been approached from medical, veterinary, entomological, physiological and, recently, molecular sides, to understand its epidemiological navigating web between isolates from different hosts and geographical regions. The obtained conclusions are still a matter of debate. Sarcoptes navigating web (Sarcoptes-NW) is intricate and uncertain, with unexplainable pathogenic flow. In this review we summarize by which routes, under what conditions and at what levels the Sarcoptes mite moves among its hosts.