Sarcoptes scabiei: an important exotic pathogen of wombats

Abstract

Sarcoptes scabiei is a parasitic astigmatid mite, which causes scabies in people and sarcoptic mange in mammals (Figure 1). Importantly, it is an emerging disease in wildlife throughout the world 1. The mite originates from a human ancestor and is thought to have spread to domestic and then free-living animals 2, 3. Based on the recent emergence of sarcoptic mange in Australian wildlife and Aboriginal communities, it is thought that Sarcoptes scabiei was probably introduced to Australia by the Europeans and their animals 3,4. The mitochondrial genetic similarity of mites from Australian wildlife and domestic animals supports this 3, 5. In Australian wildlife, sarcoptic mange has been reported in the common wombat Vombatus ursinus, southern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons, koala Phascolarctos cinereus, common ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus and in 2003 in the agile wallaby Macropus agilis 4,6. Compared with other native species, sarcoptic mange has by far its greatest impact on wombats, particularly common wombats, and is capable of causing high morbidity and mortality rates 7.