Chorioptes bovis
 |
This article is still under construction. |
Chorioptes bovis are surface mites of horses and cattle. They cause parasitic skin infestation and are less pathogenic than Psoroptes mites.
Identification
The mites have an oval body with long legs and cup shaped suckers on their unsegmented pedicels. Their mouthparts cannot pierce the skin. The females measure about 300μm in length.
Life cycle
The lifecycle of Chorioptes bovis mites takes 3 weeks. The females lay their eggs on the skin surface around the edge of a skin lesion.The eggs hatch and the larvae pass through two nymphal stages before developing into adults.
Pathogenesis
The mites live at the base of the host's hair and feed on skin debris. They cause irritation by feeding, which leads to the animal rubbing itself and creating lesions.
Identification
Diagnosis is confirmed by a skin scrape from an affected region. Chorioptic Mange must be differentiated from Sarcoptic Mange.