Clinical demodicosis in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park.
We investigated the relationship between prevalence and severity of clinical signs of Demodex cafferi infection in free-ranging African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and other factors such as age, sex, pregnancy status, and concomitant infections with bovine tuberculosis (BTB), Rift Valley fever (RVF), and brucellosis (BA). Approximately half of 203 buffalo examined in this study had clinical signs of demodicosis (cutaneous nodules); younger age classes had the highest prevalence and severity of lesions (chi(2)=21.4, df=6, P=0.0015). Nodules were generally limited to the head and neck region, but in severe cases were present over the entire animal. We found no significant association between clinical severity of the Demodex infection and gender, pregnancy status, or infection with BTB, RVF, or BA.
Wolhuter
Julie
J
Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Bengis
Roy G
RG
Reilly
Brian K
BK
Cross
Paul C
PC
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology