Knemidocoptes mutans em criação de galinhas caipiras no Oeste da Bahia, Brasil

Resumo

Background: Brazil stands out as one of the leading countries in poultry, as well as in the export of chicken meat in the world. It is evident throughout the national territory the creation of free-range chickens, as a family subsistence production and source of supplementary income for small producers. Standing out for the rusticity of the animals, free access to the ground and pasture area, becoming a positive aspect to animal welfare. However, disregard for facilities, local hygiene and, sanitary management, as well as nutritional and reproductive management, will result in low productivity, and leading to greater occurrences of diseases, parasites and ectoparasites.

Cases: The occurrence of scabies on the paws, caused by the mite of the genus Knemidocoptes, having Knemidocoptes mutans as a direct agent, is a chronic disease that can manifest at any age and may be linked to individual characteristics of the birds. In this report, a poultry farmer from the municipality of Barra, western region of Bahia, producer of free-range chickens, reported her experience when her birds were affected by the mite K. mutans, the birds presented scaly deformations on the scales of the metatarsus and paws, leaving the scales deformed and lackluster.

Discussion: To diagnosis knemidocoptic mange, the patterns of skin lesions associated with laboratory techniques for microscopic visualization of the parasite are observed. The birds studied are bred in captivity for subsistence, so genetic factors and the restricted lifestyle of the animals can influence the development and appearance of several diseases, as well as Knemidocoptiasis. Where its diagnosis is restricted to the morphological characteristics, hosts that have a predilection, aspects of the lesions and sites of parasitism. Knemidocoptic mange is caused by several species of mites of the genus Knemidokoptes belonging to the family Knemidokoptidae, all parasites of the skin of birds. The specific cause of foot scabies is Knemidocoptes mutans, a very small mite, which has a rounded body and lodges itself inside the scales that cover the metatarsus of birds. Thus, the characteristic lesions of knemidocoptic mange are dermatitis, crusts, deformation of the scales and the deep presence of the mite, which can be observed through the microscopy of the crusts. For treatment and prophylaxis, hygiene and handling must be taken into account, recommending daily cleaning of perches and the floor with chlorine, eliminating mite reservoirs and applying a sulfur-based paste to the lesions.