title: Further evidence that deltamethrin-impregnated collars protect domestic dogs from sandfly bites.
abstract: In many foci of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL), domestic dogs are important reservoir hosts of the causative Leishmania parasites transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae). We tested the protective value of impregnated dog collars (20 g plastic containing deltamethrin 800 mg ai) against Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) sandflies in Iran. For each assay, the dog was sedated and caged in a net with 70-100 wild-caught sandflies overnight (23.30-06.30 hours). Dogs wearing the collars were bitten by approximately 80% fewer sandflies than before collars were fitted, i.e. 51% vs. 11% of hungry female flies exposed. Sandfly mortality rates following 20 h exposure to dogs with collars (18%) or without collars (17%) were not significantly different. Effects of collars were tested when dogs had been wearing them for 8 days. A previous trial against the sandfly P. perniciosus Newstead in France, using smaller dogs, showed that effects of such collars were not fully realized until they had been worn for 2 weeks or more; they remained effective for at least 8 months and killed significant proportions of the sandflies exposed. Present results with P. papatasi, confirming that this simple device provides effective protection against sandflies, are considered sufficiently encouraging to justify a community-wide field trial of deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars against ZVL vector sandflies in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halbig
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hodjati
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mazloumi-Gavgani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohite
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000662:veterinary*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles; D011576:Psychodidae; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D009570:Nitriles; D011722:Pyrethrins; C017180:decamethrin