Flea Control Products Research Articles

Evaluation of topical application of 10% imidacloprid–1% moxidectin to prevent Bartonella henselae transmission from cat fleas

To determine whether monthly topical administration of a combination of 10% imidacloprid and 1% moxidectin would lessen flea (Ctenocephalides felis) transmission of Bartonella henselae among cats. Controlled trial. 18 specific pathogen-free cats housed in 3 groups of 6. 3 enclosures were separated by mesh to allow fleas to pass among groups yet prevent cats from contacting one another. One group was inoculated IV with B henselae, and after infection was confirmed, the cats were housed in the middle enclosure. This infected group was flanked by a group that was treated topically with 10% imidacloprid-1% moxidectin monthly for 3 months and by an untreated group. On days 0, 15, 28, and 42, 100 fleas/cat were placed on each of the 6 cats in the B henselae-infected group. Blood samples were collected from all cats weekly for detection of Bartonella spp via PCR assay, bacterial culture, and serologic assay. B henselae infection was confirmed in the cats infected IV and in all untreated cats after flea exposure; none of the cats treated with the imidacloprid-moxidectin combination became infected. In this setting, monthly topical administration of 10% imidacloprid-1% moxidectin reduced flea infestation, compared with infestation in untreated cats, and thus prevented flea transmission of B henselae to treated cats. Regular monthly use of this flea control product in cats may lessen the likelihood of humans acquiring B henselae infection.

Prevalence of flea infestation in dogs and cats in Hungary combined with a survey of owner awareness

A survey was conducted in order to gain current information on flea species (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) infesting dogs and cats living in urban and rural areas of Hungary, along with data on the factors that affect the presence, distribution and seasonality of infestation. In addition, owner awareness of flea infestation was evaluated. Practitioners in 13 veterinary clinics were asked to examine all dogs and cats attending the clinic and to collect fleas, when present, on 2 days in each month from December 2005 to November 2006. They also completed a questionnaire for each animal examined. A total of 319 dogs (14.1%) were found to be infested; the highest prevalence (27.1%) of infestation on dogs occurred in August and the lowest (5.4%) in May. Prevalence of fleas on cats was higher (22.9%); the highest (35.0%) and lowest (8.1%) prevalences occurred in July and April, respectively. Fleas were more prevalent in rural (387/1924 animals, 20.2%) than in urban (161/1343 animals, 12.0%) areas. Three species, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis) and Pulex irritans L., were found. On dogs, the prevalence of C. canis alone was 53.0%, whereas that of C. felis alone was 36.0%. Only 19 specimens of P. irritans were found on 14 dogs from rural habitats only. Prevalence of C. felis only on cats was 94.3%; the remaining cats were infested with either C. canis or with mixed infestations of C. felis and C. canis. More than half (51.4%) of the owners of infested dogs and cats had not used flea control products in the past year or more, and five times as many owners in rural than urban areas had not used flea control products in the same period. Very few owners reported having attempted to kill fleas in their animals' environment; instead, they believed that fleas were acquired from other cats or dogs.

Fipronil and its Degradates in Indoor and Outdoor Dust

Fipronil is a potent insecticide used for control of termites, fleas, roaches, ants, and other pests. We measured fipronil, fipronil sulfide, and desulfinyl fipronil concentrations in indoor and outdoor dust from 24 residences in Austin, Texas. At least one of these three fipronil compounds was detected in every sample. Fipronil accounted for most of the total fipronil (T-fipronil; fipronil + desulfinyl fipronil + fipronil sulfide), followed by desulfinyl fipronil and fipronil sulfide. Nineteen of 24 samples of indoor dust had T-fipronil concentrations less than 270 microg/kg; the remaining five had concentrations from 1320 to 14,200 microg/kg. All three of the residences with a dog on which a flea-control product containing fipronil was used were among the five residences with elevated fipronil concentrations. In outdoor dust all concentrations of T-fipronil were less than 70 microg/kg with one exception (430 microg/kg). For every residence, the concentration of T-fipronil in indoor dust exceeded that in outdoor dust, and the median concentration of T-fipronil was 15 times higher indoors than outdoors.

Permethrin toxicity in cats: a retrospective study of 20 cases

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid widely used in flea control products for small animals. Accidental toxicity can occur with off-label usage, and cats are particularly susceptible. Retrospective study of 20 cases of permethrin toxicity in cats treated at an emergency clinic in Brisbane, Queensland from October 2004 to June 2005. The diagnosis of permethrin toxicity was made on the basis of a history of exposure and characteristic clinical signs, including seizures, muscle fasciculations, and tremors. Decontamination and appropriate seizure or muscle fasciculation control were the basis of treatment. The outcome was good after rapid intervention and 19 of the 20 cats were successfully treated, with the only death occurring in a kitten for which treatment was delayed for 24 h. No long-term complications were reported by the cats' owners at 4-month follow-up after discharge from hospital. Owner education, together with more appropriate product labelling, may help eliminate this problem in the future.

Recent Advance in tick control

UNTIL recently, tick control had generally been considered an added bonus of some flea control products. However, due to a combination of increased mobility of dogs and cats following the...

Recent advances in flea control

FLEA infestations of pets and the home environment are a common occurrence. Consequently, the market for flea control products is huge and a confusing range of POM‐V (prescription‐only medicine ‐...

CHARACTERISTICS AND PATTERNS OF RESIDENTIAL PESTICIDE USE ON LONG ISLAND, NY

ISEE-461 Introduction: The information currently available on residential pesticide use patterns and the characteristics of pesticide users is limited. Identifying characteristics associated with pesticide use that could be potential confounders of a pesticide-disease relationship is crucial in identifying appropriate data to be collected. Data from 1,556 control women from the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project, a population-based case-control study of the environment and breast cancer, were used to examine factors associated with residential pesticide use and patterns of reported residential pesticide application. Methods: From August 1, 1996, through July 31, 1997, English-speaking women who had never been diagnosed with breast cancer were randomly selected from both Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York State. An extensive residential pesticide-use section was included in the in-person, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Participants were queried about their pesticide usage patterns in and around their homes as well as their use of insect repellants, lice control products, and flea and tick control products on their pets. Additionally, information was collected on established and suspected breast cancer risk factors. Age-adjusted unconditional logistic regression models were used to determine whether each of the personal characteristics was associated with ever use of pesticides for either lawn and garden problems or nuisance pests. Results: Nearly all (96.3%) of the participants reported some pesticide use during their lifetime. Lawn and garden pesticides were used by 80% while 92.5% used pesticides for nuisance pests. Several of the personal characteristics examined were found to be associated with residential pesticide use. Women who were premenopausal, ever used hormone replacement therapy, ever used alcohol regularly or were ever regularly physically active were more likely to have used either lawn and garden pesticides or nuisance pest pesticides. A woman’s age, race or education was related to pesticide use for lawn and garden problems only. Among those with income information, higher income was associated with a higher likelihood of pesticide use for lawn and garden problems and nuisance pests. Adjustment for income attenuated odds ratios for other factors, indicating that socioeconomic status may account for some of the observed associations. Discussion: The extensive residential pesticide-use information collected in this study provides a great deal of insight into the residential pesticide use habits of women who live on Long Island, NY in addition to identifying personal characteristics that are related to pesticide use.

Environmental and Lifestyle Risk Factors for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Domestic Cats

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common malignancy in cats, but little currently is known about its etiology. We examined the relationship between risk of oral SCC and factors such as environmental tobacco smoke, flea control products, and diet in 36 domestic cats with histologically confirmed oral SCC and 112 renal disease control cats presented to a large veterinary referral hospital between 1994 and 2000. Questionnaires were mailed to owners of all study and control cats to assess demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and level of chemical exposures 2 years before diagnosis. Multivariate relative risks (RR) were used to estimate the relationships between the various factors and the risk of oral SCC. Flea control product use and diet were significantly associated with risk of oral SCC. Cats that wore a flea collar had 5 times the risk of oral SCC as nonusers, after adjustment for other factors (RR = 5.3; P = .002). In contrast, use of flea shampoo substantially reduced risk. Compared to cats eating mostly dry food, those with high canned food intake had a 3-fold increase in risk (RR = 3.6; P = .014); canned tuna fish intake was independently associated with risk (RR = 4.7; P = .004). Exposure to household environmental tobacco smoke was associated with a nonsignificant 2-fold increase in risk (P = .11). Results of this study suggest that flea control products, diet, and perhaps environmental tobacco smoke might be associated with risk of oral SCC and indicate that further investigation into these relationships is warranted.

Environmental and Lifestyle Risk Factors for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Domestic Cats

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common malignancy in cats, but little currently is known about its etiology. We examined the relationship between risk of oral SCC and factors such as environmental tobacco smoke, flea control products, and diet in 36 domestic cats with histologically confirmed oral SCC and 112 renal disease control cats presented to a large veterinary referral hospital between 1994 and 2000. Questionnaires were mailed to owners of all study and control cats to assess demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and level of chemical exposures 2 years before diagnosis. Multivariate relative risks (RR) were used to estimate the relationships between the various factors and the risk of oral SCC. Flea control product use and diet were significantly associated with risk of oral SCC. Cats that wore a flea collar had 5 times the risk of oral SCC as nonusers, after adjustment for other factors (RR = 5.3; P = .002). In contrast, use of flea shampoo substantially reduced risk. Compared to cats eating mostly dry food, those with high canned food intake had a 3-fold increase in risk (RR = 3.6; P= .014); canned tuna fish intake was independently associated with risk (RR = 4.7; P= .004). Exposure to household environmental tobacco smoke was associated with a nonsignificant 2-fold increase in risk (P= .11). Results of this study suggest that flea control products, diet, and perhaps environmental tobacco smoke might be associated with risk of oral SCC and indicate that further investigation into these relationships is warranted.

Illnesses Associated With Occupational Use of Flea-Control Products— California, Texas, and Washington, 1989-1997

Dips, shampoos, and other insecticide-containing flea-control products can produce systemic illnesses or localized symptoms in the persons applying them. Although these products may pose a risk to consumers, they are particularly hazardous to pet groomers and handlers who use them regularly. Illnesses associated with flea-control products were reported to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Texas Department of Health, and the Washington State Department of Health, each of which maintains a surveillance system for identifying, investigating, and preventing pesticide-related illnesses and injuries. This report describes cases of occupational illnesses associated with flea-control products, summarizes surveillance data, and provides recommendations for handling these products safely.

Illnesses Associated With Occupational Use of Flea-Control Products-- California, Texas, and Washington, 1989-1997

Illnesses Associated With Occupational Use of Flea-Control Products-- California, Texas, and Washington, 1989-1997

Flea control methods capture public's fancy

The fecund little flea, bane of pets and their owners during the hot summer months, may find its ability to procreate sharply curtailed this season, as the popularity of so-called insect growth regulators swells among the pet-owning public. The two major firms that manufacture these flea control products, Sandoz Animal Health in Des Plaines, Ill., and Ciba-Geigy in Greensboro, N.C., won't divulge specific figures, but both say sales are booming. Insect growth regulators—chemicals designed to interfere with insect development—have been around for some time. But Ciba's new, enthusiastically promoted oral variety for pets, recently approved by the Food & Drug Administration, has brought the technology to the forefront of people's attention. Insect growth regulators in general have great appeal for controlling fleas in that they interrupt the insect's life cycle. Other control methods such as pyrethrins wallop the adult insects, yet leave millions of their eggs unharmed. During a monthlong life cycle, an adul...

Pyrethrin and Pyrethroid Insecticides

Pyrethroids have a wide spectrum of insecticidal potency, vertebrate toxicity, and environmental stability. The exceptionally high selectivity ratios of pyrethrins and pyrethroids have resulted in their use for insect control in numerous formulations. A primary effect of pyrethroids is to slow the closing of the sodium activation gate in nerve cells. All pyrethroids have essentially the same basic mechanism of action on voltage-dependent sodium channels but differ in the magnitude of effect. Based on clinical signs, electrophysiologic responses, and chemical structure, pyrethroids can be classified as Type I or Type II. Inhibition of the GABAA receptor appears to be an additional mechanism of Type II pyrethroids. Clinical signs in small animals during a pyrethroid toxicosis vary but are generally attributable to neural dysfunction. Treatment consists of decontamination procedures and application of appropriate symptomatic care, including control of seizures if necessary.

Health Symptoms and Occupational Exposure to Flea Control Products among California Pet Handlers

A statewide telephone survey of health symptoms associated with occupational exposure to flea control products among California pet handlers was conducted in 1987 following several reports of ill workers. The 696 employees interviewed worked at veterinary clinics, pet stores, pet boarding kennels, pet grooming shops, and animal control facilities. Symptom incidence and frequency and flea control product use were reported for the 3 months prior to interview. Eye and skin symptoms and unusual tiredness were elevated among workers who applied flea control products to animals or facilities. After adjustment for potential confounders, these symptoms were elevated 64% to 258% among applicators as compared to nonapplicators who worked in the same facilities. Workers who used protective clothing and equipment and followed some protective work practices were not at increased symptom risk. Some specific flea control active ingredients and application procedures were associated with respiratory effects and with symptoms suggesting systemic pesticide poisoning.

Health symptoms and occupational exposure to flea control products among California pet handlers.

A statewide telephone survey of health symptoms associated with occupational exposure to flea control products among California pet handlers was conducted in 1987 following several reports of ill workers. The 696 employees interviewed worked at veterinary clinics, pet stores, pet boarding kennels, pet grooming shops, and animal control facilities. Symptom incidence and frequency and flea control product use were reported for the 3 months prior to interview. Eye and skin symptoms and unusual tiredness were elevated among workers who applied flea control products to animals or facilities. After adjustment for potential confounders, these symptoms were elevated 64% to 258% among applicators as compared to nonapplicators who worked in the same facilities. Workers who used protective clothing and equipment and followed some protective work practices were not at increased symptom risk. Some specific flea control active ingredients and application procedures were associated with respiratory effects and with symptoms suggesting systemic pesticide poisoning.