Mange in Jaisalmer’s desert foxes worries experts

What is the News?

Wildlife conservationists have expressed concern after locals spotted a few desert foxes, found in the scrub forests of Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, suffering from a loss of fur due to the Mange Skin Disease.

What is Mange Disease?

Mange is a type of skin disease of animals caused by parasitic mites.

The disease is characterized by inflammation, itching, thickening of the skin and hair loss.

Caused by: The most severe form of mange is caused by the parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which also causes human scabies

Transmission: The disease is transmitted between animals by direct contact and by objects that have been in contact with infected animals. 

Humans can also catch sarcoptic mange from dogs, but the mites involved cannot complete their life cycle in human skin. As a result, the issue can cause some skin irritation in humans, but it does not last long.

Treatment: The treatment of mange requires both oral medicines as well as the application of skin medicine.

Source: This post is based on an article “Mange in Jaisalmer’s desert foxes worries expertspublished in Down To Earth on 25th March 2022 

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