Treatment of mange caused by Caparinia tripilis in native Korean wild hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis): a case report

Infestation of the Caparinia tripilis mite in native Korean wild hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis) is described in this report. Five hedgehogs, including two adult males and three adult females, were rescued from the wild and referred to the Animal Health Centre of the Seoul Zoo, Korea. They were exhibited after completing quarantine. After one year and two months of exhibition, all hedgehogs began scratching, developed powdery deposits around the ears, eyes, and cheeks, and showed loose spines, scurf, and scales on the dorsal lesions. One had pruritic dermatitis on the outer ears and upper chest that resulted from severe scratching using its hind leg claws. The motile powdery deposits around the ears and eyes were visible to the naked eye. Skin was scraped from the lesions and examined by microscopy to diagnose the causative agent. Numerous mites (300-400 µm body length) were observed with three long setae on the third pair of legs, short and unjointed pedicels, and bell-shaped tarsal caruncles. Based on these morphological features, the mites were identified as the non-burrowing C. tripilis mite. Treatment was successful after initial administration of 0.4 mg/kg ivermectin s.c. and subsequent 0.5 mg/kg p.o., repeated 14 and 28 days after injection. This is the first description of a capariniosis case in the native Korean wild hedgehog E. amurensis.