felis - Articles
Neotrombicula autumnalis infestation
Introduction
- Cause: larvae of Neotrombicula autumnalis Neotrombicula autumnalis.
- Signs: facial and pedal pruritus in summer and autumn; orange mites seen with naked eye.
- Treatment: many antiparasitic agents effective.
Presenting signs
- Bright orange dots (mites) visible with naked eye
.
- Facial pruritus
; varies with level of hypersensitivity. - Ulceration and excoriation of ears
, head and neck.
- Other areas affected, eg ventral abdomen and feet
.
Geographic incidence
- Areas with chalky or sandy soil.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- In sensitized individuals there is a hypersensitivity reaction → pruritus and self-excoriation.
Predisposing factors
General
- Outdoor cats which hunt in wooded or grassland areas.
Pathophysiology
- Larvae parasitize mammalian host → local irritation/hypersensitivity .
Timecourse
- Signs seen seasonally from July to October in Britain.
Epidemiology
- Neotrombicula autumnalis is a trombiculid mite the adults and nymphs of which are free living
. - Adults live in decaying organic matter in the soil.
- They are most common on chalky or sandy soil and dislike clay.
- Parasitic 6 legged larvae are most numerous in the late summer and autumn.
- Larval mites attach to host skin, dissolving the cuticle with saliva and suck up host tissue fluids.
- The pinnae, principally Henri's pocket, are a particularly favored area of attachment, as are interdigital webs.
- Mites detach on molting to the nymphal stage.
- The complete life cycle takes 50-70 days .
Diagnosis
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Treatment
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Prevention
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Outcomes
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- White B (2001) Early Trombicula autumnalis infection. Vet Rec 148 (6), 188 PubMed.
- Hardison J L (1977) A case of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (chiggers) in a cat. Vet Med Small Anim Clin 72 (1), 47 PubMed.