title: Assessment of the efficacy of a topical combination of fipronil-permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®) against egg laying and adult emergence of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) in dogs.
abstract: This study was conducted to assess the prevention of egg laying and the inhibition of the emergence of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) resulting from the application of a combination of fipronil and permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®, Merial) on dogs. Sixteen healthy dogs were included after pre-treatment live flea counts and randomly allocated to two groups. Eight dogs served as untreated controls and 8 dogs were treated on Day 0 and Day 30 with topical application of fipronil/permethrin at the minimum dose of 6.76 mg/kg fipronil and 50.48 mg/kg permethrin. On days -2, 7, 21, 28, 42 and 56, each dog was infested with 100 fleas. Flea eggs were collected from each dog in individual trays from 12 to 36 h after treatment or each flea re-infestation. All fleas were removed by combing and counted 36 h after treatment or infestations. The collected eggs were counted and incubated for 28 days for larval development and adult emergence assessment. The curative efficacy of Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®against adult fleas 36 h after treatment was 95.3% and the efficacy remained 100% after subsequent flea infestations for 8 weeks. Compared to the control group, the treatment reduced egg laying by 84.5% within 36 h after first treatment and was 99.9%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% on collection days 7, 21, 29, 43 and 57, respectively. Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®reduced by 28.7% the emergence of new adult fleas from eggs laid during the 48 h of pre-treatment infestation. The inhibition of adult emergence from incubated flea eggs could not be assessed after flea re-infestation in the treated group as no eggs were collected.
authors.affiliation: Merial S.A.S., 29 Av. Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beugnet
authors.affiliation: Merial S.A.S., 29 Av. Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Lénaïg
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halos
authors.affiliation: Merial S.A.S., 29 Av. Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lebon
authors.affiliation: ClinVet International (Pty) Ltd., Uitsig Road, Bainsvlei, 9321 Bloemfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liebenberg
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D058251:Ctenocephalides / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D058267:Flea Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D026023:Permethrin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007306:Insecticides; D011720:Pyrazoles; D026023:Permethrin; C082360:fipronil