[Spread and economic importance of acariasis in swine]

Studies were carried out on the aspects of the epizootic process and the economic importance of acariasis in swine. It was established that the disease had widely spread. About 92 per cent of the pig-breeding farms proved infected, in which an average of 30.06 per cent of the animals showed symptoms of mange. The source of the infective agent were the diseased pigs. Infection was transmitted mainly through contact between normal and affected animals. The basic part in the epizootic process was played by sows and boars that were carriers of the parasites. Acariasis was shown to inflict heavy losses in pig farming. Acariasis-affected growing pigs gave 48.2 per cent lower weight gain as compared with intact animals of the same age.