Genetic epidemiology and pathology of raccoon-derived Sarcoptes mites from urban areas of Germany

Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Forschungsartikel › Beigetragen › Begutachtung

Beitragende

  • Z. Rentería-Solís - , Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (Autor:in)
  • A. M. Min - , University of Turin (Autor:in)
  • S. Alasaad - , Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Universität Zürich (Autor:in)
  • K. Müller - , Freie Universität (FU) Berlin (Autor:in)
  • F. U. Michler - , Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • R. Schmäschke - , Universität Leipzig (Autor:in)
  • U. Wittstatt - , Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg (Autor:in)
  • L. Rossi - , University of Turin (Autor:in)
  • G. Wibbelt - , Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (Autor:in)

Abstract

The raccoon, Procyon lotor (Carnivora: Procyonidae), is an invasive species that is spreading throughout Europe, in which Germany represents its core area. Here, raccoons mostly live in rural regions, but some urban populations are already established, such as in the city of Kassel, or are starting to build up, such as in Berlin. The objective of this study was to investigate Sarcoptes (Sarcoptiformes: Sarcoptidae) infections in racoons in these two urban areas and to identify the putative origin of the parasite. Parasite morphology, and gross and histopathological examinations of diseased skin tissue were consistent with Sarcoptes scabiei infection. Using nine microsatellite markers, we genotyped individual mites from five raccoons and compared them with Sarcoptes mites derived from fox, wild boar and Northern chamois, originating from Italy and Switzerland. The raccoon-derived mites clustered together with the fox samples and were clearly differentiated from those of the wild boar and chamois samples, which suggests a fox origin for the raccoon mange infection. These results are evidence of the cross-transmission of S.scabiei among wild carnivores. Although our results cannot elucidate whether raccoons became infected by frequent interaction with endemically or epidemically infected foxes or whether these cases resulted from occasional contacts among these animal species, they do nevertheless show that pathogens can be shared among urban populations of native and invasive carnivores.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)98-103
Seitenumfang6
FachzeitschriftMedical and Veterinary Entomology
Jahrgang28
AusgabenummerSUPPL.1
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Aug. 2014
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

Scopus 84906734930
PubMed 25171612

Schlagworte

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Schlagwörter

  • Sarcoptes scabiei, microsatellites, raccoon, wildlife, pathology