Production performance and pruritic behaviour of pigs naturally infected by sarcoptes scabiei var. suis in a contact transmission experiment

Abstract

,13). Such metastases seem to occur frequently, as seen in our postmortem material and from a preliminary retrospective study of carcinomas in the skin in cats, where many had the features of metastatic carcinomas of pulmonary origin (own data, not shown). Metastases of primary pulmonary carcinomas in digits and other organs have also been described in humans (2). The cat is the only domestic animal in which metastases of a primary pulmonary carcinoma in the digits have been described. The reason for this phenomenon is not known. A possible haematogenous spread of the tumour and the high vascularity of the digits in cats are mentioned as possible factors (5,15). In the primary pulmonary carcinomas in our cats, large arteries and veins were often invaded and in the metastases in the digits neoplastic aggregates were regularly seen within arteries. In only two of the 12 cats offered for postmortem examination were metastases of the pulmonary carcinomas found in the bronchial lymph nodes. Thus, feline pulmonary carcinomas seem to metastasize haematogenously rather than lymphogenously. In cats with malignant epithelial tumours in the digits, it is important to realize that most are digital metastases of pulmonary carcinomas, with a poor prognosis. So, in all cases with clinical suspicion of a tumour in a digit, thoracic radiographs should be made before surgery. Accepted for publication: November 2, 1999. SUMMARYReports on the effects of mange on the production performance of pigs are conflicting. So far, studies have used experimental infections, by depositing encrusted lesions from chronically infected pigs into the ears of experimental pigs. However, this is a poor representation of what happens under natural field conditions. The purpose of our study was to quantify the effects of sarcoptic mange on production performance and pruritus in pigs that were infected by contact with S. scabiei var. suis-infected pigs. A total of 80 piglets were matched by sex and weight and randomly divided between experimental and control compartments. In the experimental compartment, each of Animal Health Service, PO Box 4, 5280 AA Boxtel, the Netherlands.three naturally S. scabiei var. suis-infested pigs were randomly allocated to three pens with 13 susceptible pigs each. tal compartment had a nine times (95% CI: 2 -44) higher chance of showing pruritic behaviour than pigs in the control compartment.

Prevalence, risk factors and economic importance of infestations with Sarcoptes scabiei and Haematopinus suis in sows of pig breeding farms in Hesse, Germany

“…On the basis of the mean herd size (42 sows) in the study population, the economic loss by mite infestation is assessed at €4200 per affected farm and year on average, resulting in a yearly loss of > €430 000 for pig breeding farms in the study region; other losses, e.g. due to lower daily weight gain and depressed feed conversion in fatteners (Davies, 1995; Elbers et al ., 2000), have to be added.…”

Serologische Untersuchungen auf Antikörper gegen Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis in Sauen haltenden Betrieben mit unterschiedlichen Behandlungsstrategien gegen Ektoparasiten

“…suis hervorgerufen. Wirtschaftliche Ve rluste entstehend em Tierhalter durchh erab-gesetzteFruchtbarkeitder Sauen sowieschlechtere Futterverwertungu nd verminderte Tageszunahmen beiM astschweinen ( 11,14,31). Einee ffektive Diagnostik undB ekämpfung derR äude dient jedochnicht nurder Reduktion derLeistungseinbußen, sondern auch derVerbesserung desWohlbefindens derTiere undder Ve rminderung desArzneimitteleinsatzes.…”

Sarcoptic mange infestation in pigs: an overview

“…S. scabiei var. suis infestation have been found as detrimental for the production performance in pigs (Arends et al 1990;Davies 1995;Elbers et al 2000). In experimental S. scabiei var.…”