Clinical dermatitis in a southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) associated with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei

A wild-caught adult male southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) was presented for investigation of a pruritic skin condition that consisted of crusting, deep fissures, lichenification, alopecia, scale, and erythema, and affected the caudal dorsum, caudal, and medial thighs, distal hind limbs, tail, forepaws, and parts of the thorax. Examination of superficial and deep skin scrapings revealed large numbers of mites, which were identified as Sarcoptes scabiei. To the authors’ knowledge, infestation with this mite has not previously been reported in bandicoots.