Sheep scab, future perspective for disease diagnosis and control

Sheep scab is caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis and is the most important ectoparasitic disease of sheep in the UK. Sheep scab represents a significant threat to animal welfare, making a rapid and accurate diagnosis of paramount importance. Recently the Moredun Research Institute (MRI) has developed a diagnostic ELISA for the detection of antibodies specific to a mite allergen (Pso o 2) which has proven highly sensitive in the diagnosis of sub-clinical infestation. At the same time, worldwide interest has grown over the application of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) for low cost, point of care, multiplexed analyses. The combined application of these new technologies with the existing Pso o 2 antibody ELISA could represent a very powerful, improved diagnostic tool for sheep scab