TY - JOUR
T1 - Hyperkeratotic mange caused by Sarcoptes scabiei (Acariformes
T2 - Sarcoptidae) in juvenile human-habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei)
AU - Graczyk, Thaddeus K.
AU - Mudakikwa, Antoine B.
AU - Cranfield, Michael R.
AU - Eilenberger, Ute
PY - 2001/11/17
Y1 - 2001/11/17
N2 - To facilitate ecotourism and behavioral research, free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. During routine health monitoring, five juvenile gorillas were observed with active crusted dermatitis and alopecia. Papular and vesicular lesions and crusts with papular eruption and oozing were numerous and disseminated over the body of one gorilla with a confirmed infestation of scabies. In this gorilla, the hyperkeratotic crusts were loose and thick with a flaky and scaly appearance. Histologically, the epidermis was thickened, displayed hyperkeratosis and was infiltrated with lymphocytes and neutrophils. Examination of skin scraping yielded a positive identification of adults and eggs of Sarcoptes scabiei mites. The gorillas were treated with ivermectin, 200 mg kg-1. As S. scabiei mites can cross-infect various mammalian species causing self-limiting dermatitis, these ectoparasites can be propagated in the habitats shared by gorillas, people, and livestock, and therefore they represent an anthropozoonotic threat.
AB - To facilitate ecotourism and behavioral research, free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. During routine health monitoring, five juvenile gorillas were observed with active crusted dermatitis and alopecia. Papular and vesicular lesions and crusts with papular eruption and oozing were numerous and disseminated over the body of one gorilla with a confirmed infestation of scabies. In this gorilla, the hyperkeratotic crusts were loose and thick with a flaky and scaly appearance. Histologically, the epidermis was thickened, displayed hyperkeratosis and was infiltrated with lymphocytes and neutrophils. Examination of skin scraping yielded a positive identification of adults and eggs of Sarcoptes scabiei mites. The gorillas were treated with ivermectin, 200 mg kg-1. As S. scabiei mites can cross-infect various mammalian species causing self-limiting dermatitis, these ectoparasites can be propagated in the habitats shared by gorillas, people, and livestock, and therefore they represent an anthropozoonotic threat.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11763433
AN - SCOPUS:0034761956
VL - 87
SP - 1024
EP - 1028
JO - Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde
JF - Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde
SN - 0932-0113
IS - 12
ER -