Efficacy of a combination of 10% imidacloprid/50% permethrin for the prevention of leishmaniasis in kennelled dogs in an endemic area.
The efficacy of imidacloprid 10%and permethrin 50% (Advantix; Bayer AG, Germany) in a spot-on formulation was evaluated in the field as a control measure to prevent canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in dogs in an endemic area of southern Italy. In February 2005, out of 845 dogs initially tested for CanL, 631 dogs which tested negative (315 from a kennel in Bari (KB) and 316 from a kennel in Ginosa (KG)) in a serological and a parasitological examination were allocated to one of three groups: Group A-treated with imidacloprid 10% and permethrin 50% once a month; Group B-treated every 2 weeks; and Group C-untreated control animals. All the dogs were examined serologically and parasitologically for CanL prior to the start of the study, in November 2005 (end of the sandfly season) and in March 2006 (end of the study). An initial CanL seroprevalence of 24.7% (209 dogs) was detected in KB and KG. In KB Leishmania infection, inferred by positivity in at least one of the three tests performed at the interim or final follow-up, was found in one animal from Group A and in nine from Group C. No positive animals were detected in Group B, thus giving a final protection efficacy of 88.9% in Group A and 100% in Group B. In KG Leishmania infection was identified in one animal from Groups A and B, respectively, and 11 from Group C (protection efficacy of 90.36% in Group A and 90.73% in Group B). The incidence density rates (IDRs) of infection in both Groups A and B at each kennel were statistically significantly lower than that registered in Group C (KB p<0.05 and KG p<0.01). The results clearly show that a combination of imidacloprid 10% and permethrin 50%, by virtue of its repellent activity against sandflies, is effective under both application regimes in preventing CanL in the field in endemic areas.
Otranto
Domenico
D
Department of Animal Health and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Str. Prov. per Casamassima Km3, 70010 Valenzano (Bari), Italy. d.otranto@veterinaria.uniba.it
Paradies
Paola
P
Lia
Riccardo Paolo
RP
Latrofa
Maria Stefania
MS
Testini
Gabriella
G
Cantacessi
Cinzia
C
Mencke
Norbert
N
Galli
Gianluca
G
Capelli
Gioia
G
Stanneck
Dorothee
D
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D026023:Permethrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D007093:Imidazoles; D007306:Insecticides; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds; C082359:imidacloprid; D026023:Permethrin