title: Survival of adults and development stages of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis when off the host.
abstract: All life-stages of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis survive in the hosts' environment for several days to several weeks depending on r.h. and temperature. Survival of larvae was comparable to males; survival of nymphs was comparable to females. Females and nymphs generally survived longer than larvae and males. Low temperature (10-15 degrees) and high r.h. prolonged survival of all life stages. At 10-15 degrees C, females and nymphs survived 1-3 weeks at 97% r.h., 1-2 weeks at 75% r.h. and 5-8 days at 45% r.h. At 20-25 degrees C, survival was significantly reduced but all life-stages survived at least 2 days at 25% r.h. and 5-6 days at 75-100% r.h. Long survival off the host coupled with host-seeking behavior of these mites make it likely that environmental contamination is a source of scabies in domestic and wild mammals, and in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Arlian
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vyszenski-Moher
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pole
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006813:Humidity; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000502:physiology; D012520:Sarcoptes scabiei / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature