We demonstrate a novel method to confine ticks to human subjects to study tick-borne diseases. While there was a trend toward I scapularis morbidity and mortality in the ivermectin arm, the low number of ticks that attached in the placebo group limited our analysis. Most ticks began feeding in the last 12 hours of the experiment, significantly limiting their exposure to ivermectin. Ivermectin does not cause early death in D variabilis adults.
There were a high number of ticks that died in both groups but the data do not support our hypothesis that ivermectin can kill I scapularis. The study was not designed to determine whether it could prevent the transmission of tick-borne illness.
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