Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, UK.
LSSC, Kettering, UK.
Vet Rec. 2024 May 4;194(9):e4090. doi: 10.1002/vetr.4090. Epub 2024 Apr 12.
Ovine psoroptic mange (sheep scab), caused by an infestation of the mite Psoroptes ovis, leads to clinical disease, economic loss and severely compromised animal welfare. Here, a community-based approach to the management of scab in three high-risk areas of England is described.
For each of the 254 farms included in the study, an initial survey of their clinical sheep scab history was followed up by a blood test (ELISA) to detect the presence of antibodies to P. ovis. This facilitated the coordination of treatment across groups of farms in each region. Blood testing was then repeated at the end of the treatment programme.
On the first blood test in 2021/2022, 25.6% (±5.5%) of the flocks were positive for sheep scab. On the second test in 2022/2023, 9% (±3.94%) of the flocks tested were positive, showing a highly statistically significant reduction in prevalence overall, but with strong regional variation.
generating an understanding of the flock-level nature of the blood test and confidence in its detection of scab where clinical signs were not apparent provided ongoing challenges.
The programme demonstrated that a focused community-based approach can be used to significantly reduce the prevalence of sheep scab in high-risk areas of England. The use of the blood test on all farms allowed the identification of subclinical sheep scab. The programme provides an effective model for sheep scab management on a national scale.
由螨虫 Psoroptes ovis 引起的绵羊痒螨病（绵羊疥癣）导致临床疾病、经济损失和严重的动物福利受损。本文描述了在英格兰三个高风险地区采用基于社区的方法来管理疥癣的情况。
对研究中包含的 254 个农场进行了初始的临床绵羊疥癣史调查，随后进行了血液检测（ELISA）以检测针对 P. ovis 的抗体。这有助于协调每个地区的农场群体进行治疗。然后在治疗计划结束时再次进行血液检测。
在 2021/2022 年的第一次血液检测中，25.6%（±5.5%）的羊群对绵羊疥癣呈阳性。在 2022/2023 年的第二次检测中，9%（±3.94%）的羊群呈阳性，表明总体患病率呈高度统计学显著降低，但存在强烈的区域差异。
了解血液检测的羊群水平性质并对其在临床症状不明显的情况下检测疥癣的能力有信心，这一直是一个挑战。
该计划表明，集中的基于社区的方法可用于显著降低英格兰高风险地区绵羊疥癣的流行率。在所有农场使用血液检测可以识别亚临床绵羊疥癣。该计划为全国范围内的绵羊疥癣管理提供了有效的模式。
