Sarcoptic mange in the Scandinavian wolf Canis lupus population
Fuchs, Boris; Zimmermann, Barbara; Wabakken, Petter; Bornstein, Set; Månsson, Johan; Evans, Alina; Liberg, Olof; Sand, Håkan; Kindberg, Jonas; Ågren, Erik O.; Arnemo, Jon Martin
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http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2418894Issue date
2016Metadata
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Original version
Fuchs B, Zimmermann B, Wabakken P, et al. Sarcoptic mange in the Scandinavian wolf Canis lupus population. BMC Veterinary Research. 2016;12:156. doi:10.1186/s12917-016-0780-y. 10.1186/s12917-016-0780-yAbstract
Background:
Sarcoptic mange, a parasitic disease caused by the mite
Sarcoptes scabiei,
is regularly reported on
wolves
Canis lupus
in Scandinavia. We describe the distribution and transmission of this parasite within the small
but recovering wolf population by analysing 269 necropsy reports and performing a serological survey on 198
serum samples collected from free-ranging wolves between 1998 and 2013.
Results:
The serological survey among 145 individual captured Scandinavian wolves (53 recaptures) shows a
consistent presence of antibodies against sarcoptic mange. Seropositivity among all captured wolves was 10.1 %
(
CI.
6.4 %
–
15.1 %). Sarcoptic mange-related mortality reported at necropsy was 5.6 % and due to secondary causes,
predominantly starvation. In the southern range of the population, seroprevalence was higher, consistent with
higher red fox densities. Female wolves had a lower probability of being seropositive than males, but for both
sexes the probability increased with pack size. Recaptured individuals changing from seropositive to seronegative
suggest recovery from sarcoptic mange. The lack of seropositive pups (8
–
10 months,
N
= 56) and the occurrence of
seropositive and seronegative individuals in the same pack indicates interspecific transmission of
S. scabiei
into this
wolf population.
Conclusions:
We consider sarcoptic mange to have little effect on the recovery of the Scandinavian wolf
population. Heterogenic infection patterns on the pack level in combination with the importance of individual-
based factors (sex, pack size) and the north
–
south gradient for seroprevalence suggests low probability of
wolf-to-wolf transmission of
S. scabiei
in Scandinavia.