Abstract
BackgroundTwo blinded, controlled laboratory studies were conducted to assess the acaricidal efficacy of a new combination of fipronil and permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®) against two tick species. Study A evaluated the efficacy of the product against both Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Study B evaluated the efficacy against R. sanguineus only.Methods16 (Study A) and 12 (Study B) healthy adult dogs were allocated to two groups in each study. Dogs in Group 1 served as untreated controls. Dogs in Group 2 were treated with a new topical spot-on formulation containing 6.76% (w/v) fipronil + 50.48% (w/v) permethrin once on Day 0. Each dog of study A was infested with 50 unfed adult ticks of each species and each dog of study B was infested with 50 unfed adult Rhipicephalus sanguineus prior to treatment (Day −2 in Study A, Day −1 in Study B) and post treatment on Days 7, 14, 21 and 28. The ticks were removed and counted 48 h after treatment (Day 2) or subsequent infestations (Days 9, 16, 23 and 30). Acaricidal efficacy was defined as the percent reduction in the number of live ticks in the treated group compared to the untreated control group.ResultsThe percent efficacy in the treated group for R. sanguineus was 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 96.7% in Study A, and 94.4%, 100%, 100%, 98.7% and 98.0% in Study B, for counts performed on Days 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, respectively. For I. ricinus, in Study A, the percent efficacy of the treatment was 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 99.2% for counts performed on Days 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, respectively. There was a significant difference of the geometric mean numbers of live ticks between the treated and control groups at each time point in each study (p = 0.005 for every day in Study A, and p < 0.005 for every day in Study B).ConclusionsA single topical administration of a combination of fipronil and permethrin provides excellent acaricidal efficacy against both I. ricinus and R. sanguineus for at least 4 weeks.
Highlights
Two blinded, controlled laboratory studies were conducted to assess the acaricidal efficacy of a new combination of fipronil and permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®) against two tick species
A summary of the tick counts and efficacy results are shown in Table 1 (Study A) and Table 2 (Study B)
The percent efficacy of the treated group for R. sanguineus was 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 96.7% in Study A, and 94.4%, 100%, 100%, 98.7% and 98.0% in Study B, for counts performed on Days 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, respectively
Summary
Two blinded, controlled laboratory studies were conducted to assess the acaricidal efficacy of a new combination of fipronil and permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®/Frontect®) against two tick species. Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus are two of the most common tick species infesting dogs in Europe. They are known to infest humans, and are vectors for several important canine and human diseases’ agents [1,2]. Rhipicephalus sanguineus has a worldwide distribution and is the most commonly encountered tick species (or complex of species) infesting dogs [8]. It is the vector for the most common tickborne pathogens in dogs, which include Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon canis. It is the vector for the most common tickborne pathogens in dogs, which include Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon canis. [3,8,9,10], as well as for the pathogens of spotted fever and ehrlichiosis in humans
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