Cellular Response in the Dermis of Common Wombats (Vombatus Ursinus) Infected With Sarcoptes Scabiei Var. Wombati

Abstract

The cellular response in the dermis of common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) with sarcoptic mange exhibited some typical aspects of an immune response to Sarcoptes scabiei. There was an induction phase for wombats experimentally infected with S. scabiei represented by absence of a dermal inflammatory infiltrate for at least 12 days after infection. T lymphocytes, plasma cells, mast cells, and neutrophils then entered the dermis, consistent with a type IV (delayed) hypersensitivity response. In free-living wombats with severe parakeratotic sarcoptic mange eosinophils were also present in the dermis suggesting that a type I (immediate) hypersensitivity response may develop after a type IV hypersensitivity response. Absence of plasma cells and B lymphocytes in free-living wombats with severe parakeratotic sarcoptic mange compared with their presence in wombats experimentally infected with S. scabiei suggested that some immune tolerance may develop with severe infections. A large proportion of cells in the dermal response were not identified but were possibly cells of connective tissue. The thickness of the epidermis increased within 4 days in response to S. scabiei infection. Some antibodies raised against human leucocyte antigens CD3, CD5, HLA-DP, DQ, DR, and CD79b cross-reacted with leucocyte antigens of common wombats and were used to identify cell types in inflammatory infiltrates using immunohistochemistry.

Pathology of Sarcoptic Mange in Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes): Macroscopic and Histologic Characterization of Three Disease Stages

“…Similar lesions sometimes occur in humans (Walton and Currie, 2007). Histo-logically, mange is characterized by dermatitis with hyperkeratosis and epidermal hyperplasia but the quantity, quality, time of appearance, and duration of the cellular response differ among hosts (Bornstein et al, 2001;Skerratt, 2003).…”

“…In experimentally infected foxes, an eosinophilic and neutrophilic infiltrate and focal abundance of lymphocytes and plasma cells were present 2 wk postinfection with S. scabiei, whereas the inflammatory cell response was largely dominated by mast cells 4-6 wk postinfection (Little et al, 1998). Similarly, low numbers or even absence of eosinophils in association with an increase of mononuclear cells was observed in lynx (RyserDegiorgis et al, 2002), raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides; Ninomiya and Ogata, 2005) and wombats (Skerratt, 2003) with severe, chronic lesions.…”

Outfoxing a Rash: Clinical Example of Human–Wildlife Interaction

“…The first was the sick fox, possibly representing the ''tip of the iceberg'' in terms of infection in the wild red fox population. The occurrence of sarcoptic mange may represent a decreased immune response in the affected animal (Skerratt, 2003). Could the fox have been immune-suppressed due to starvation or underlying disease?…”

The taxonomy, life cycle and pathology of Sarcoptes scabiei and Notoedres cati (Acarina, Sarcoptidae): A review in a Fennoscandian wildlife perspective

“…wombats and red foxes. Foxes display a hypersensitive response immediately following S. scabiei infection (Little et al 1998), whereas wombats do not (Skerratt 2003b). Pigs and rabbits also differ in their inflammatory infiltrate in the dermises and involves Eosiniphils and T-lymphocyt (Davis & Moon, 1990a;Arlian et al 1994a, b).…”