Clinical features of psoroptic mange in cattle in England and Wales

Abstract

The clinical signs, treatments used and spread of psoroptic mange in cattle from October 2007 until March 2011 are described. The disease was first diagnosed in South West Wales, having not been reported in Great Britain since the 1980s. The likely source was identified as a farm that had imported two animals from mainland Europe in the summer of 2006. Since that time, disease has been diagnosed on a further 22 premises, the majority in South West Wales but also in South East and Mid Wales and on one farm in England. Bought in animals harbouring the Psoroptes species mite but not showing clinical signs were considered the greatest risk of introducing the infestation into a herd. This, together with the difficulties of treatment to eliminate the parasite, means that it is unlikely that this outbreak has been controlled. There is also a continuing threat of importing the disease from abroad. The disease is not notifiable in the UK.

Psoroptic mange in cattle and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

“…The history of the spread and approaches used to treat these mite infestations is documented in a comprehensive paper by Mitchell and others (2012), which is summarised on p 359 in this week's issue of Veterinary Record . The paper presents an informed and factual account of this disease outbreak and highlights several important issues about this specific problem and, by inference, the control and spread of infectious parasitic disease in UK livestock in general.…”

Psoroptic mange in cattle in Scotland

“…Bovine psoroptic mange is an uncommon diagnosis in Scotland1 but has been reported with increasing frequency from other areas of the UK 2. In contrast to psoroptic mange in sheep, the disease in cattle is not notifiable in Scotland.…”

Resistance against macrocyclic lactones in Psoroptes ovis in cattle

“…Treatment failure with ML in cattle has been reported by Lekimme et al [16], Mitchell et al [17] and Sarre et al [3]. Potential reasons for treatment failure are non-compliance with the recommended 'good practice' treatment and acaricide resistance.…”