title: Essential oils in the management of the donkey louse, Bovicola ocellatus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chewing lice are widespread and clinically compromising parasites of livestock and equids. Their management is complicated by growing levels of resistance to commonly applied insecticides. Hence, the development of novel approaches to their control is of major clinical interest.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of incorporating the essential oils of tea tree and lavender into a grooming programme for populations of donkeys with natural infestations of Bovicola ocellatus in the UK and Ireland when louse populations were at their winter seasonal peak.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo field trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suspensions of 5% (v/v) tea tree or lavender oil or an excipient only control were groomed into the coats of winter-housed donkeys (n = 198) on 2 occasions, 2 weeks apart. Louse counts were conducted before each application and 2 weeks later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 2 applications, the groups groomed with lavender or tea tree oil suspensions had a significant reduction in louse intensity, with a mean decline in louse abundance of 78% (95% confidence interval 76-80%). Louse numbers in the groups groomed with excipient only either did not change or increased significantly. Donkey hair length had no effect on the decline in louse numbers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that the inclusion of essential oil suspensions during grooming can be used to manage louse populations successfully.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellse
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sands
authors.affiliation: The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Burden
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018397:Equidae; D007306:Insecticides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058326:Ischnocera / Q000187:drug effects*; D027523:Lavandula; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D020947:Tea Tree Oil; C045718:lavender oil
keywords: Bovicola; donkey; ectoparasite; essential oils; lice